Kale Stems: How to Use Them and Zero Waste Recipes

Here is the 27th edition of our column Zero Waste in the Kitchen, created to give new life to scraps by transforming them into the protagonists of your next recipes. Today we transform one of the most valuable scraps: kale stems. We often end up throwing them away, but they are rich in nutrients and can become protagonists of tasty and creative recipes, helping us to reduce waste in the kitchen.

Learn how to use stems in cooking, their benefits, and some ideas for preparing them without waste!

Nutritional benefits of kale stems

Stems, often overlooked, are a veritable treasure trove of nutrients. They contain the same vitamins and minerals as the leaves, making them a valuable ally for health

Major vitamins (A, C, K)

• Vitamin A, essential for eye and skin health,

• Vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and stimulates collagen production, and

• Vitamin K: essential for blood coagulation and bone

Minerals (iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium)

• Iron: helps prevent anemia

• Soccer: indispensable for bones and teeth

• Magnesium and potassium: they regulate blood pressure and muscle function

Fibers and sulfur compounds

• Le fibers promote digestion and intestinal well-being

• I sulfur compounds promote liver detoxification

• Very few calories but very satiating, ideal for low-calorie diets

How to use kale stems in cooking

The stems are versatile and crispy, perfect in a variety of preparations.

Stir-fried

Cut the stalks into small pieces and toss them with a drizzle of oil and garlic. Great as a side dish or base for omelets.

READY MADE SOUPS

The stems can be added to soups or blended into smoothies to give flavor and texture.

Pesti

Turn them into a flavorful pesto, great on pasta, crostini or as a topping for hot dishes.

Zero Waste recipe: pesto of kale stems

Follow this quick and easy recipe to make a tasty and tantalizing kale stem pesto, perfect for flavoring a pasta or making yummy croutons.

Ingredients:

• 100 g. of kale stalks
• 1 tablespoon pecorino cheese (alternative: Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese)
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts (alternative: almonds or walnuts)
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt to taste
• optional: chili pepper

Preparation:

1. Clean 300 g. of kale leaves, separate the leaves from the kale stems. Cut the stems into pieces and boil them for about 10 minutes.
2. Drain them and once cooled put them in a blender with the pine nuts, cheese, garlic, oil and salt. Blend until smooth, if necessary add a little cooking water from the stems.

Recommendations for use:

The kale stalk pesto is ready; you can use it to dress pasta or to make bread crostoni with stracciatella and cherry tomatoes or even as a base for baked vegetables.

Discover more ideas Zero wastes And all of our Bontà di Stagiones:

• Do not throw away the seeds of the pumpkin: Makes yummy crackers.
• Discover all Zero Waste recipes by Bontà di Stagione.
• Kale is the ingredient in our Bontà Regional Tuscan-style soup.
• Try this quick and tasty recipe: Sandwiches filled with Zuppa alla Toscana