Willard concocting the “Hot Chip” spices

Willard concocting the “Hot Chip” spices

Students harvested kale this week from the seed they planted in the fall. Three teams created three recipes: Indian Spice (Miranda and Robbie) , Barbecue (Cheyenne and Daniel), and  Hot chips (Willard and Arthur). Visiting Community-Based Training students got to participate in a taste test. Even those who were not a fan of kale at the beginning gave it a try.

There were some concerns . . .

Not sure about "kale chips"...

Not so sure about kale chips…

And some outright skepticism . . .

Cheyenne serves up her “Indian Spice” recipe

Cheyenne serves up her “Indian Spice” recipe

But everyone tried it, and quite a few liked it.

Studies have shown that it is possible to acquire a taste for healthy food even if we are inclined to prefer cake to kale. Encouraging students to give new foods a try is a tried and true method of increasing acceptance. Next week the GET students will test the Indian Spice Kale Chips recipe in the Loften high school lunchroom.

We grow some beautiful kale in this region – at Loften, in school gardens, and on farms – and it is so nutrient-packed it’s considered a super-food. Familiarizing students with kale and its nutritional benefits is a step in increasing the health of the young people in our community while supporting a healthy, local food system.

Miranda's barbeque spices

Miranda’s super-secret barbeque spice mix