Kale Time!

Love it or loathe it, kale is really good for you, super easy to grow and it’s still on trend.

Kale as a superfood provides you with Lutein, Vitamin A, C, E and K, Magnesium, Iron, and a range of Antioxidants.

In the garden, even if you’re not fond of kale it is a very ornamental edible to grow.
Growing kale and other brassicas during the cooler months means they avoid attack from the dreaded cabbage moth that lays her eggs on a variety of brassicas.

Varieties:

There are many varieties of both edible and ornamental kale.

These are few of the more readily available edible cultivars; Tuscan Black (Nero di Toscana), Green Wave, Red Russian, Dwarf Green, Dwarf Siberian.

How to grow:

• Grow from seeds, seedlings or established plants
• Position full sun to semi-shade – garden beds or pots
• Frost tolerant
• Quick to harvest - from 6-8 weeks from planting
• Soil must be free draining with good levels of organic matter – Rocky Point ActivGrow Soil Improver or Cow Manure Plus
• Mulch well with Rocky Point Sugar Cane, Lucerne or Pea Straw Mulch
• Use fertilisers high in nitrogen, like ActivGrow Fertiliser Pellets, to provide the essential nutrient for leaf growth
• Consistent regular watering is needed for plants to be productive

Eating it

Fresh: Use young chopped leaves of kale fresh in salads, sandwiches and steamed.
Green Smoothies: Kale can be added to a green smoothie to make it vitamin rich.
Kale Chips: Bake in a moderate oven for 10 minutes to create crispy kale chips
Cooked: Add to stir fries, soups and as a side dish.

Kale Smoothie

Ingredients;

• 2 cups Kale, freshly picked
• 1/2 Avocado
• 1/2 Lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup Pineapple chunks, frozen
• 1 tsp Ginger, freshly grated
• 1 tbsp Cashew nuts
• 1 Banana
• 250mL Coconut water

Method;

1. Blend ingredients together in a high powered blender for 30 seconds, starting with a splash of coconut water.
2. Continue adding coconut water until you reach desired consistency.
   NOTE: This may take anywhere between 150-250mL of coconut water.
3. Serve chilled.

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