Poached Alaskan cod

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Take a trip back in time with me to 1992.

I want you to imagine a place that's seared into my food memories from that time.

The restaurant salad bar.

Can you picture it?

The rows of sliced vegetables slowly shriveling and drying...

The plexiglass sneeze guards separating them from you...

The ranch and Italian dressing, the bleu cheese and thousand island. Ooh, even balsamic vinaigrette!

But only at the classy joints, of course.

Now most importantly, can you picture the scraggly green perimeter that enclosed it all?

Yes, that's right!

It was kale.

Being a curious 7-year-old eater, I once snagged a few leaves for myself.

But before I could put them on my plate, my mom wisely stopped me.

"It's not food," she warned me. "It's only there for decoration."

"Your pet rabbits might enjoy it, though."

Fast-forward 32 years, and this ugly ducking of vegetables has become a swan.

21st-century health experts can't get enough kale.

Far from its roots as a humble buffet decoration, it's now a star ingredient in salads, blended into pesto, baked into chips, even pureed into smoothies.

Quite a turnaround.

But, being stoic and immune to trends, I'm not on board.

Not with the raw version, anyway.

See, here's what every chef knows:

Raw kale, collard greens, and other dark, fibrous greens are barely edible for humans.

But when they're slow-cooked?

Their leaves and stems soften and break down in liquid...

Releasing their mouthwateringly rich, dark flavors...

And lending a subtle culinary magic to the soups and stews they're added to.

So with that in mind, I made kale a star ingredient in this week's SIMPL recipe for poached Alaskan cod with black olives, kale, and white bean stew.

Since it's one of the most versatile items available in my monthly Butcher Box subscription, Alaskan cod is a natural fit for this lean, high-fiber dish.

But the flavor comes from the slow-cooking process...

As the beans, kale, garlic, and onions mingle together to release their distinct flavors into this savory blend.

Coming in at 57 grams of protein, it's a solid addition to your meal prep rotation that's sure to help you build muscle and support your hard work in the gym.

Add this kale recipe to your repertoire, and you might finally feel like a human while eating it.

...instead of a rabbit.

Chef's tip: 

If re-heating fish in the microwave is offensive to your sensibilities, this dish is easily reheated in a pan on low heat with a lid for 5-10 minutes until hot.

Here's the nutrition breakdown for 1 serving:

You can get the full 5-portion recipe for this, and all my high-protein dishes when you become a SIMPL Insider.

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• Get the full-length step-by-step videos showing how I created each weekly dish

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