The garden is off to a great start this spring. We’ve had warm, sunny days and cool, misty nights. As a result, we’re harvesting bunches and bunches of lettuce plus a bunch of leafy kale every other day.
The more frequently it is harvested, the higher the yield. I hate to let any of it go to waste because I know once the temperatures soar these greens will bolt leaving me wishing for just one more kale infused smoothie. And I’ve tried but I’m just not into kale chips.
In order to maximize the kale harvest and make it last well into summer I’ve come up with a plan. After washing the bunch of kale and trimming the stems, I toss it into a pan and blanch it. This only takes a few minutes. I usually do it while making dinner.
Then, with tongs, I place the wilted greens into an ice-cube tray and cover with water.
Pop the tray in the freezer and we’ve got kale cubes. The cubes are ready to chill any smoothie or to toss into any soup, stir fry or side dish. I put the excess cubes in a freezer bag to make room for more. There’s another harvest right behind this one!
I recently read an interesting article about the benefits of using cooked kale vs. raw kale in smoothies. What do you think? What is your preference?
Circa Dee 
Great tip and article! Blanching certainly takes more time but so worth the freshness and added value for smoothies! Have a great day!
Thanks Catherine. You too!
We use kale for green juice a lot here. I eat a lot of raw kale, although I have heard that it is more beneficial to cook it first. When I put it in smoothies or juice, I feel like it is broken down enough to easily digest, and I don’t worry about the issues with the thyroid because I have never had issues in the past. I do love kale chips though, and putting it in soup 🙂