Balsamic Kale with Caramelized Onions

About 3 months ago I discovered kale and how amazingly healthy (and yummy) it is. I’ve gotten kale in the past and made kale chips (hmm I should remember to take out the camera next time I do this) but I wanted to try something new. When I was wandering around the store earlier I got some balsamic herb marinade and made some really good chicken (again I’ve been failing with the camera!). I only used half the bottle so I had plenty for this recipe. I also had onions so this recipe was perfect for tonight (plus I absolutely LOVE the taste and smell of caramelized onions). This recipe made enough for one person and took about a half hour to cook. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 bunch of kale

½ a yellow onion

A splash of balsamic vinegar (or balsamic marinade in my case)

4 tsp. olive oil

Pinch of Sugar (optional)

Pinch of Salt (optional)

Recipe:

Begin by slicing up the onions into thin strips. My suggestion for the next time is to cut the onion slices more evenly than what you see in the pictures. To cut long slices, cut both ends of the onion, peel the skin, and slice long ways. Next, go ahead and cut the kale. To do this, cut out the stems and slice or tear into bite size pieces.

Now you are ready to start cooking! Add 2 tsp. of olive oil to a pan, turn the heat onto low, and add the onions. I did a fast google and apparently adding salt and sugar help speed up the caramelizing process. Stir every once and a while (but not too much or else they wont brown). Through my quick research, I also learned that if your onions are sticking to the bottom of the pan, add some water. Continue cooking for about 20-30 minutes (if you aren’t in a rush, its apparently worth it to cook the onions for as much as an hour, but my onions started to get a little burnt).

It might seem like you have a lot of kale on your cutting board, but remember that it will shrink a little as you cook it. Add another tsp. of olive oil to the pan, dump in the kale, turn the heat to medium-high and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar/marinade and stir. My huuuuge mistake is that I used too much balsamic vinegar and could barely taste the caramelized onions. Serve warm with a glass of crystal light iced tea (or wine!). I think next time I will also make some balsamic chicken to go with this dish. Enjoy!