You can never have too many greens. But aside from salads and smoothies, how many ways can you really consume kale? The same recipes get old after a while, and eating greenery can feel like a chore.
Luckily, now that greens season is in full swing, Love & Vegetables is hosting a community cooking class January 17 that's all about grassy-hued roughage. Earth 'n' Us Farm owner Ray Chasser and chef Keith Kalmanowicz will lead attendees in a healthful lesson plan incorporating collard greens, kale, callaloo, spinach, amaranth, and some wild edibles too.
See also: Love & Vegetables Launches Vegan Cooking Classes: First One All About Mangoes
Instead of the usual eating-only events they've hosted in the past, "this year we've talked about making a switch to education," Kalmanowicz says.
"We want to empower people more to learn how to work with this food -- here's the healthiest food you can eat, and here's the healthiest way you can cook it and enjoy it."
This month's event is all about leafy greens.
"Our garden is 90 percent greens," Kalmanowicz says of the bounty at Earth 'n' Us Farm. "We have curly kale, Russian kale, three types of collard greens. We have bok choy, broccoli, basil, and callalloo -- Haitian spinach. We have purslane, which has the highest amount of fatty acids you can get in a plant."
The cooking class will include a farm tour and introduction to the various greenery by Chasser. Then, Kalmanowicz will lead attendees through several recipes, all gluten-, sugar-, and oil-free. "That's what a lot of people seem to have interest in," Kalmanowicz adds. "Like, how do you cook without oil? Which is simple, but it's technique."
Last, guests will enjoy a lunch sampling of the prepared food.
The event begins at noon January 17 at Earth 'n' Us Farm, 7630 NE First Ave., Miami. The afternoon is "pay what you can," but suggested donations are as follows: four hours of volunteering; $15 plus two hours of volunteering (covers cost of food); $25 (covers cost of food, rentals, and expenses); or $35 (covers all of the above, plus labor, and pays it forward to the next community event). You can check out more details and RSVP on the event Facebook page.
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