Hearty, nutrient-packed veggies are essential to losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle. This week’s recipe features a main ingredient that has been in the spotlight for a couple years, so it’s super easy to find in your local market.
Brazilian Kale, known as “couve mineira” in Brazil, is a garlic-lover’s essential side dish traditionally made with flat-leaf kale, but can be made with curly leaf kale, collard greens, escarole, or other leafy greens that provide a bitterness that is complimented by the garlic and crushed red pepper in the dish.
Recipe: Brazilian Kale
Ingredients
2 bunches curly green Kale
1-2 Tablespoons minced garlic
Olive oil (or other neutral cooking oil)
Pinch crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Wash the kale thoroughly – the curly leaves may catch a fair bit of dirt. Remove the stems from the kale, and chop them roughly.
- Stack the kale leaves on top of each other in groups of 10-20. Roll them up into a cylinder, then cut them into ½-inch wide ribbons.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and once it’s hot add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Once the garlic begins to brown lightly, add about 1/3 of the kale to the pan.
- Push down on the kale with a spatula to break it down slightly, then add more kale. Mix with a spatula or tongs as needed to cook down the kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once all the kale is soft, dark green, and fragrant, and all the liquid in the pan has evaporated, it is done! Serve right away as a delicious side dish.