The light has changed. There is a perceptible glow that heralds the arrival of Autumn. It is moody and wistful, filled with wishes, yearnings and memories. The sky becomes an achingly beautiful blue, or a moody, layered steel, or glows. Wind. Golds and reds. A hint of smoke and apples, rolls of hay in mown fields. The nights are cool and have been great for sleeping, for dreams.
During the last few waves of summer humidity this past month, before the heat of the day began, I spent one sweet morning harvesting cherry tomatoes, the whine of cicadas charging the air. As I reached for the ripest ones, my face pressed into the jungle of foliage – creating a sanctuary of sorts – it allowed the mind to fly a thousand miles away, yet remain remarkably present at the same time. The meditation of gardening.
The mornings are crisp now, with warm afternoon sun. Harvest is upon us, the year is spinning out and winding down. Which brings me to My Kale. I only grew a few kale plants this year, but they have yielded a tender, tasty, ongoing crop. I pluck a few leaves off daily and prepare it to last during the week. I have gotten into eating kale raw, with little embellishment. A few people have offered me their kale recipes to try and it has been fun and all good, but I find I keep referring back to this basic. It is so addicting (at least it is to me) that I am gravitating back and forth to open the container and have yet another piece. Here it is, without measurements, as it changes a little each time:
Basic Raw Kale Recipe
-Take a few leaves of kale, chop it into bite-size pieces and put it in a bowl.
– Use a good-tasting olive oil and massage it into the leaves. You need to use your hands for this. You are literally going to squish the leaves full of oil. It’s messy, but the kale needs to absorb the oil in this way, so just get into it. You will notice the volume of kale in the bowl will be much reduced after you do this.
– Add a very small amount of vinegar to the kale. I like to use cider vinegar.
– Mix in some lemon juice to taste over the oiled & vinegared kale.
– Sprinkle with sea salt.
That’s it. I like to throw some of those aforementioned very ripe garden fresh cherry tomatoes on top of it and add a few Greek or Moroccan olives. Put that in a container and snack on it throughout the day. Knowing it’s healthy for you makes you feel like you are doing something good for your body (calcium, iron, vitamin A, C & K, antioxidents, potassium!).
It tastes of the last days of Summer, the beginning of Fall, a connection to earth’s bounty.
daeja's view 
Just love those Hudson hills!
ox
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there’s magic in them there hills……
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I share in your joy of the crisp Autumn air and welcome the early Oregon ash tree color change, abundant local apples, and most of all, an end to a hot Summer. I actually CRAVE kale salads now.
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Sometimes I miss those Oregon hills.
Have you tried pan-frying kale it to make crispy kale? Sooooo good!
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Love your post. Would love to explore those Oregon hills. 🙂
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Thank you! Those hills in the photo are of the beautiful Hudson Valley in New York State…
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I love fall, but I’m a fall baby, so it is my season….Love the crisp air, the subtle changing of the leaves till they glow and knock you over, the seed pods, the the brown grasses swaying in the breeze, the honking of the geese as they fly overhead, and the squabbling of the finches as they sit at the feeder loading up for cooler weather. And the apples…..I do everything apples this time of year. Every try Ginger Golds, my favorite early season apple. Will have to try your kale salad. My favorite way to use is to lightly saute in a good EVOO with some garlic and a few dried chile flakes and sea salt. Yum.
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The geese…how could i forget to mention the geese? Have you ever heard Tom Rush sing Joni Mitchell’s “Urge for Going”? It’s the ultimate autumn song…
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I’m going to try this recipe. It is a very healthy snack, plus I keep trying to add calcium to my diet. Good tip!
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Great! From there you can keep embellishing. Some people mash avocado into it, or add sesame seeds….the possibilities are endless….!
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I tried baking kale to make kale “chips” and that is very good although a bit tiresome because you have to watch it carefully. They’re so good they’re gone in seconds!
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You can make kale chips on top of the stove in a cast iron skillet too (easier to watch). I know what you mean…seriously addictive. With a little bit of balsamic vinegar they are amazing…
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Yes, it would be easier to watch.Thanks for the tip!
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