Making Junk Food Healthy Again - Kale Chips

Kale was the leafy green vegetable that was everyone's best friend in the early 2010s. It is very high in nutrients and very low in calories, making it one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can buy in the produce department.  From the same family that gives us cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts, people fell in love kale around 2012 when it started appearing on trendy restaurant menus and in trendier food blogs  While kale can be added to soups, stews, pestos, and casseroles, or blended in smoothies, a popular use of this vegetable is as a potato chip substitute. Using the simple recipe found in "The 4-Hour Chef", there's no reason to not whip up a batch before the big game or for your next Netflix binge.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Tear or cut the kale leaves into bite-size pieces (you don't need the stems, they can be thrown away).
2. Rinse and dry the leaves completely, using either a salad spinner or paper towels. Once dry, put the kale in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil over it. Toss the kale to ensure all the leaves are covered.
3. Place the kale on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Give the kale pieces enough space so that they don't overlap. Sprinkle the sea salt (or chili powder, paprika, Old Bay, garlic powder, lemon zest, if you prefer) over the leaves. 
4. Put the baking tray in the oven for 15 minutes, then try one of the pieces. If they need more crisping, leave them in the oven for another five minutes - you're looking for lightly browned edges, not burnt toast.

Osso Buko - Irish Cuisine By Way of Preston Street

For this upcoming St. Patrick's Day, I've decided to make a dish from one of my favourite cookbooks, "The 4-Hour Chef ". It takes two Irish staples, lamb and carrots, combined with a savory Italian flavour. I'm sure there are some who would take offense at that combination, and hopefully, it's because the recipe doesn't use the traditional veal. If it's for another reason, tough. You're missing out on a great dish that practically impossible to mess up.


Ingredients

4 lamb shanks, about 340 g each
1 bag carrots
1 can whole San Marzano tomatoes
5 garlic cloves, or 10-15 g garlic powder
250 mL dry white wine (about a third of a bottle; try not to use anything too sweet)
30 mL extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Thaw out the frozen lamb shanks, and peel and chop the carrots. Arrange the carrots in a pot, preferably a Dutch oven, and place the lamb shanks on top of them.
2. Open the can of tomatoes, and squish the tomatoes. Add them to the pot, then add the garlic. Drizzle everything with the olive oil, and pour enough of the wine to cover half to three-quarters of the meat - do not cover the meat completely, as you are braising the meat.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook for two hours.
4. Serve with either your favourite red wine or with a pint of Guinness.