I remember watching an episode of Masterchef in 2013 when the idea for this recipe came to me.
Taking into account the joy and texture of corn, with delicious salty, nutty and soft elements all thrown in for good measure.
There is no surprise to know that green leafy vegetables are good for us, we have been hearing this for years. Kale however, despite its long list of pros, gets a bad wrap, especially when eaten raw.
I think I know why.
Better still, I think this recipe will go a long way to changing that for you.
So what is the deal with kale then?
Yes it is featured in supermodel's green smoothies, trendy cafe menus and organic farmer's markets shopping lists and rightly so... It is pretty freaking special!
A simple Google search returns over 19 million results. People are clearly crazy for kale!
It is called the “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.”
A snapshot of this leafy green is fairly impressive:
- It is packed full of nutrients & vitamins - iron (contains more per calorie than beef), folate, magnesium, fibre (digestion), calcium (contains more per calorie than milk), Vitamin A (good for our vision), C (immune system and metabolism boosting) & K (cancer fighting properties)
- An anti-inflammatory food which assists the fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune diseases (perhaps this is why I love it!)
- Can lower cholesterol levels
- Has a detoxifying effect on the body
Plus it is cheap and easy to prepare... need I go on? Even if you're a sceptic, give this a try and let me know if you feel any differently towards kale.
- 3 large kale leaves, washed
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked
- ½ cup corn kernels, (1 corn cob) cooked
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- Good pinch of rock salt
- Cooking ratio is 1:2
- Rinse quinoa and bring required amount to the boil
- Lower and simmer for roughly 15 minutes, until the water has evaporated
- Leave for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork
- Set aside to cool
- Peel and clean 1 corn cob
- Cut cob in half for easier handling
- Bring water to the boil in a medium saucepan
- Once boiling add the corn
- In a few minutes the corn will be ready; kernels will be soft when pricked and a vibrant shade of yellow
- Drain and rinse
- Hold the cob so that the flat part is face down on your chopping board, then slice downward and keep turning until all kernels are removed
- Set aside to cool
- Take washed kale leaves and remove the stems
- Either whizz in a food processor or very finely chop
- Add lemon juice, salt and oil to the kale and massage well
- Once leaves soften and wilt, set aside
- Combine cooked quinoa, corn kernels and kale to serve
- Season and add a further drizzle of oil if required