5 Kale Recipes to Celebrate National Kale Day

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Today is National Kale Day. Or, at least, it will be if enough people sign this petition.

In an effort to decrease the obesity epidemic, Dr. Drew Ramsey and “Skinny Chef” Jennifer Iserloh founded the organization Team Kale. According to the website, the organization “provides tools, resources and community so that every American has access to this incredibly nutritious, inexpensive whole food, but can also learn ways to cook and grow it.”

And, with type 2 diabetes in the lead as the fastest-spreading medical condition of our time (at the rate it’s going, the disease will affect one in three people worldwide by 2020), you can see why these guys are so passionate about the nutrient-dense leafy green.

So, in support of Team Kale creating a national day of recognition that won’t give us a hangover (I have yet to recover from National Margarita Day 2013), we’ve found some totally awesome recipes showcasing everyone’s favorite superfood. Don’t tell quinoa I said that.

Kale Caesar Salad
Via Feed Me Phoebe

I know what you’re thinking: Nutrition-wise, eating a Caesar salad is akin to eating a bowl of pasta smothered in creamy alfredo sauce (how can something so good be so bad?). But not this caesar salad. This recipe is egg and anchovy-free, making it vegetarian. Plus, it’s topped with a mayonnaise-free garlic dressing made with Dijon mustard in place of the typical dairy-and-fat-loaded caesar dressing. In fact, this salad could even be vegan if you sacrificed the little bit of parmesan sprinkled on top. So there you have it, a healthy caesar salad.

Spicy Stir-Fried Tofu with Kale and Red Pepper
Via The New York Times

The stir-fry is the greatest creation: It takes all of five minutes, you can use whatever you have lying around in your fridge (don’t take that too literally, guys), and the dish you end up with is usually pretty nutritious. This stir fry calls for red peppers, kale and tofu, but you could always throw in some mushrooms or zucchini. To up your superfood intake, serve this stir-fry with quinoa instead of rice.

Grilled Kale Salad with Ricotta and Plums
Via Bon Appetit

Oh. My. Gosh. This salad is the most extravagant salad ever. It is the Dolce and Gabbana of salads. Like, it’s just that fabulous. This recipe combines crispy grilled kale with fresh plums over ricotta cheese, all drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette and a hint of honey. See what I mean? That’s some fancy kale.

Kale and Potato Frittata
Via The Faux Martha

Frittatas are awesome because they allow you to put everything you could ever want into one dish and you get to eat breakfast for dinner. What could be better? This frittata combines potatoes, onions, kale and parmesan to create a delicious, gluten-free, protein-packed meal. You could also forgo the cheese for a lighter take on the dish.

Kale and Walnut Pesto
Via Dancing Carrots

I put pesto on everything. Honestly, you could name any food and, chances are, I have eaten it with a hearty serving of pesto. So, obviously, I was thrilled to find this clever take on the Italian classic.  Since kale is in season, shopping for this recipe won’t burn a hole in your wallet, like traditional pesto tends to do. (Did you know that pine nuts can cost upwards of 20 dollars per pound?! And, basil isn’t particularly cheap either.) You can enjoy this pesto tossed with fresh pasta, served on a salad, spread on a veggie sandwich … the world is your oyster. And wait just a minute, there’s another idea! Spread it on an oyster po’boy.