Crinkly kale crisps are gross-looking, but a surprisingly delicious treat. To make, toss kale with olive oil and salt, and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service recommends eating three to five servings of vegetables each day. For those who aren’t familiar with many vegetables, or who have dismissed some from previous bad experiences, that’s a lot of boredom on a plate.
“I think with the industrialization of food, all those local vegetables got pushed off to the side. I think a lot of stuff got lost and a lot of the way people prepared food got lost,” said Blackwell Smith, chef at Blacksmith’s Bistro & Bar on St. Elmo Avenue. “If you don’t know how to cook something, you might not end up with a good result.”
We asked local chefs to weigh in on a few underused vegetables you should be eating.
Kale
High in antioxidants and flavonoids, “kale is a colorful leafy green vegetable that may be one of the healthiest foods you are not eating,” said Brian Jones, registered dietitian at Memorial Hospital. One serving of kale supplies 100 percent of the daily value of vitamins A and K.