I planted some lacinato kale in the garden for the second year in a row. Last year I didn't have too much luck with it. We go through a lot of kale in our house, however so I figured growing it was worth a second try. I have been harvesting kale steadily for two weeks now. I'm glad I didn't give up.
We like to juice it, add it to smoothies and cook with it. One of my new favorite recipes is Baked Brown Rice with Sweet Potato and Kale. It is delicious and colorful and the kids eat it without complaining. I like to double the recipe and freeze one for later. It's not much more work and you reap twice the reward. Win, win!
Baked Brown Rice with Sweet Potato and Kale
*Adapted from Baked Zucchini and Rosemary Risotto in Healthy Gluten-Free Cooking by Darina Allen
3 cups brown rice of your choice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 large onions, finely chopped
4 or more garlic cloves, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
Kale, choppped - enough to equal 8 cups when combined with the shredded sweet potato, at least one big bunch
6 medium eggs, beaten
7 tablespoons almond milk
chopped fresh thyme to taste
8 oz. mozzarella or other cheese of your choice
2 - 8 in. springform pans
Prepare the springform pans by brushing with olive oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper cut to size.
Preheat the oven to 350
Cook the rice according to package instructions. When the weather is warm, I like to make the rice the night before and chill in the refrigerator until I need it. This keeps my kitchen a little cooler and makes the preparation go that much quicker the next day.
Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan and slow cook or sweat the onions with a small quantity of salt on medium-low heat. You can do this for roughly 15 minutes or as much as 30 minutes. The longer the better, just be sure that they don't brown. They should be soft and translucent. Add the garlic near the end and cook for a minute or two.
Mix together the beaten eggs, almond milk, thyme, a little salt and pepper. Combine the egg mixture, sweet potato mixture, pre-cooked brown rice and mix in shredded cheese. You can save some shredded cheese to sprinkle on the top if you like.
Separate the mixture evenly into the prepared pans and bake approximately 50 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in pans. If you are going to freeze one, let it cool completely and then wrap in wax paper and cling wrap and store in freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
I like to serve this with some fresh salad greens and toasted raw sunflower seeds or walnuts.
I also love to sauté mushrooms with some red wine and a splash of balsamic vinegar or white wine with minced garlic to spoon over the top. I still top with some toasted nuts or seeds because I love the crunch that they add to this softly textured dish.
