Eat Kale Every Day

This week, I'm writing from Chicago where I'm attending a retreat for the Traveling Ministers Program, sponsored by Friends General Conference. I'm have a wonderful and rich time, but it also means thatanother week goes by with no soup from me for Bulls Head Friends. I'm looking forward to being back in my own kitchen next week and with my soup pot steaming.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you a bit of wisdom that was passed on to me by Santha Cooke, a wonderful massage therapist, nutritionist and all-round cool person in Salt Point NY. "Eat kale every day." You cannot go wrong with this advice.

Here's how I prepare kale: I tear it up with my hands. If it's mature and has tough stems, I tear the more tender part of the leaves off the tougher stem parts. Leave some of the thinner stems though because they add a nice texture. Then I boil them just until tender - but not to the point of overcooking. After draining, I dress the cooked Kale with a Bragg Liquid Aminos, liquid smoke, sesame oil and a shot of the juice from a jar of pickled hot banana pepper rings. If you don't like hot stuff, you could use plain vinegar or the juice from mild pepper rings. Then, I chill it in the fridge and when I need an afternoon snack, I eat a bowl of chilled kale. It's best eaten with chopsticks and a glass of tomato juice!