Waiting for Kale

We've planted a lot of different vegetables this season, but I'm most excited about kale.The first few kale plants popped through the soil this week.

Blame Cooking Light for my obsession of the moment. When I did a search for "kale" one of the first results to come up was the magazine's selection of 15 kale recipes. They all looked yummy.

Here are my top three:

• White bean soup with kale and chorizo - Cooking Light suggests using Spanish chorizo instead of "raw" Mexican chorizo. Takes about 20 minutes to prepare.
• Farfalle with sausage, cannellini beans and kale - This dish features turkey Italian sausage and sun-dried tomatoes. This dish can be made in 35 minutes, according to Cooking Light.
• Spinach and kale turnovers - This is my favorite. The magazine's description made my mouth water: "Spinach, kale, feta cheese, and a dash of nutmeg makes for a tasty turnover filling. ... Make-ahead tip: Prepare the turnovers in advance, and freeze them for up to two months."

Kale is hardy (ours survived the winter) and very good for you. WebMD expert columnist Kathleen Zelman called it a "nutritional powerhouse" in "The Truth About Kale."