Thirty years ago when my mom was a manager at Shoney’s, I was introduced to kale. It was that nearly plastic-looking leafy thing on the side of my plate, next to my Philly Steak sandwich.
My sister and I would dare each other to eat it. Apparently it was just a garnish to “cleanse the palette” at the end of the meal. Eventually I took a tiny bite of it, only to learn it really didn’t taste like anything.
It was… just there.
Fast forward to April 2013, when I became a vegan. As I found myself converting to the plant-based lifestyle, I looked around me and realized that apparently, I was supposed to love kale.
I would see fellow vegans at Whole Foods wearing t-shirts that read “KALE” in the front, in the likeness of Yale.
For half a second I thought to myself, “Well, I guess I’m supposed to get one of those shirts and join the club.”
But I never did. Because I really, really don’t like kale.
However, I force myself to eat it; ideally once a week.
A couple of days ago, I had lunch at Whole Foods, taking advantage of their “5 for $5” special; where I can get a pound of vegan food, in divisions of 4 ounces.
They had all my favorites: the mushroom salad, the sweet potato and olive salad, and the grilled pineapple salad. For my 4th item, I chose the kale.
It was seasoned nicely and I didn’t mind it, especially because it was paired with cabbage.
Yet still, I only ate it because it’s so full of protein and the roughage is good for digestion.
Perhaps it’s heresy to admit it, but I am a vegan who is not a fan of kale. If you can relate to me on lack of passion for kale, just know you’re not alone.
