I grew up believing that spinach was the most powerful vegetable in the universe (remember Popeye?) I have raised kids in a generation that views kale the same way that we viewed spinach. Kale is the new spinach.

My daughter, Leah, loves kale. To keep her happy (and healthy), I try to always have a large bag of kale available for her in the freezer. I buy a large package of fresh kale, clean it and store it in the freezer. Then, it is available for all her favorite kale recipes. She uses kale in smoothies and pesto and she has tried to convince the rest of the family to love it, too. Some of us will eat it and others are just not there…yet.

Leah developed this kale and cabbage kugel recipe using some of her favorite ingredients. It is bright, green and healthy.

If you prefer spinach, you may substitute spinach for some or all of the kale.

INGREDIENTS

Oil for sauteing
2 cups cabbage
1 large onion
2-3 cloves garlic (optional)
2 cups of kale or spinach (see kosher notes below)
4-5 eggs
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a large baking dish.  Saute onions, garlic and cabbage until soft and golden brown (about 20-25 minutes).  Puree kale with eggs, vinegar and seasonings in food processor or blender.

Combine cabbage mixture with kale and egg mixture.  Pour mixture into Pyrex or baking pan.  Bake kugel 30-40 minutes.

 

VARIATIONS

Sprinkle nuts, crumbs or crispy fried onions on top of mixture before baking for an extra bit of texture and crunch.

 

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws disallow the eating of  any whole insects and therefore most greens require a process of soaking, rinsing and in some cases, pureeing.  I have found that flat-leafed greens like baby spinach and flat-leaf  kale are much easier to check for insects than their curly-leaf counterparts.  Kashrut authorities differ on the proper checking of leafy vegetables and some disallow the use of spinach and kale altogether.  This blog was not designed to be your  kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using and preparing greens such as spinach and kale.

Recipe, Baking and Photo Credits: Leah Respler