Kale with Grape Tomatoes

When I was a kid, there was a field that we drove by on a regular basis. At certain times of the year, it would smell BAD. I seem to remember someone saying that they grew kale there. Kale? I didn't know what that was, but if it smelled like that, I knew I didn't want to eat it.

Well, I'm here to tell you that I've gotten over my childhood aversion to the mysterious vegetable that is kale. To be honest, I don't know if it truly was kale that they grew in the field because I haven't noticed that kale has much of a smell -- certainly not what I smelled in that field as a kid!

My current favorite way to eat kale is cooked in a little broth with some quartered grape tomatoes. I almost never buy prepared broth -- I always use water with Better than Bouillon. I love the stuff. It has wonderful flavor and comes in so many different varieties -- vegetable, chicken, turkey, beef, mushroom, PLUS certified vegan No Chicken and No Beef. I usually use chicken for this recipe, but you could certainly substitute vegetable or one of the certified vegan varieties if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Best of all, this recipe is super fast to make. It actually takes less time than cooking up some frozen vegetables, and I enjoy it so much more!


Kale with Grape Tomatoes

about 5 ounces kale, washed and cut (about 1/2 bag of Trader Joe's Kale)
olive oil
1/2 cup water plus 1/2 teaspoon Better than Bouillon soup base of your choice (vegetable, vegan, or chicken)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
kosher salt, to taste if needed

Heat about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the kale and stir. In a measuring cup, combine the water with soup base and stir to dissolve. Add the broth to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook over low heat for 4 minutes. Remove lid and add tomatoes. Cover and cook for an additional minute. Taste and add a small amount of Kosher salt if needed. Enjoy!