Roasted Potatoes & Kale

If there's an ingredient I would like to use more in the kitchen, it would probably be kale. Aside from it being packed with nutrients as a superfood, friends have raved about kale in smoothies, as chips and in salads. Not too long ago, friends and I got together for our regular potluck dinner where the theme was brunch for dinner. We all prepared a brunch item to bring to the table and I was surprised by this side dish of Roasted Potatoes & Kale, shared by my friend Kelly. I've made roasted potatoes countless times and I've heard of baking kale for kale chips... but it never dawned on me to combine the two! Well Kelly did exactly that, where seasoned roast potatoes married seasoned roasted kale for a match made in deliciousness...

This was a great side dish that I've made it at home... but the original picture from our brunch came out better {thanks to the natural lighting that day.} You can use whatever kind of potato you have on hand - red, russet, etc. I personally like the buttery flavors of Yukon Gold potatoes. I do recommend fresh kale as frozen kale won't result in the same crisp texture that adds to the dish. I can't wait to play with kale more often and this was just the dish and recipe to inspire me. What's your favorite way to use kale? I'd love to get some more ideas!

Roasted Potatoes & Kale

recipe adapted from Epicurious

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 pound fresh kale (about 1 small bunch), rinsed with stems/tough ribs discarded, then roughly chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper.Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. 

In the same bowl, toss kale with remaining 1 tablespoon oil along with salt and pepper to taste. After potatoes have roasted, add the kale on top of the potatoes. Return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes, or until kale is crisp.
Serve potatoes and kale hot or at room temperature, seasoning to taste if desired.