My husband and I eat a LOT of kale . . . pretty much every day. We eat it as salad, we eat in tacos, we drink it in smoothies. We eat it wherever I can sneak it in because it’s healthy, yummy and it has texture.

Of all my seven Boston winters, this was definitely by far the worst. Then “spring” came, and it warmed up to above freezing and blessed us with even more snow and sleet storms. I thought it would make me feel better to make summer-like recipes like pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches. One night, I had everything I needed to make it, except the cole slaw. My husband isn’t a big fan of cole slaw anyway, so I started to wonder if there was something in my fridge that I could use to replace the cabbage when suddenly I realize I could use diced kale and carrots to make KALE SLAW. For less than a second, I thought I was pretty smart until I realized I’m sure this has already been invented. But I tried it anyway.

First, I diced the kale and carrots (and purple cabbage if I have it), put them in a bowl with greek yogurt, salt and pepper and a dash of something vinegary. You can get creative with ingredients and try your own version of this. Recently, I have enjoyed adding hummus instead of greek yogurt and something vinegary. You can add a bit of olive oil so that your hummus is more mixable. Be sure not to “massage” or toss the kale too long, so that you don’t lose the crunch.

Serve on a toasty bun with pulled chicken and a squirt of Sriracha! You’re probably thinking, this girl’s pretending to be healthy, but I see that pile of Mac & Cheese on that plate. You would be correct. Occasionally, we like to splurge with a side of Trader Joe’s Diner Mac & Cheese.

Tacos are another great way to sneak in kale. My husband and I agree that this is best for chicken or fish tacos (not as good with ground beef).

First, I make chicken tacos. I prefer Trader Joe’s Corn & Wheat Tortillas (steamed/heated), YUM! Then, I sprinkle some diced vine-ripened tomatoes and a bit of shredded sharp white cheddar. The kale mixture is something like this: diced kale & shredded carrots, mix with a small dollop of hummus and a dollop of plenty-of-lime guacamole. There should be enough salt in your hummus and guac so that you won’t need to add more. Your kale mixture might look or feel a little mushy, but it will be crunchy and taste great! Add some fresh cilantro to make it look pretty and taste even better.

You’re probably thinking that I need to paint my nails and, again, you would be correct.

I could go on and on about ways that we use kale in this house. It’s amazing how kale can be a healthy replacement to other ingredients, and taste great. Have you found any great ways to use kale? Share in the comments below!