Using kale leaves & stalks-Smoothies

[zki]

I usually cut broccoli, inner bottom part of celery, kale and collard green stalks only into small cubes & put all together in a bag in freezer and throw a handful into smoothies. They make the smoothies thicker & I can't even taste them. I've read they have nutritional value too so why waste them?
Question: If I'm throwing in Kale stalks & then throwing in Kale leaves in the smoothies, why not cut them into small portions of leaf w/stalk still attached and throw them in smoothie? Comments?

 

[silva]

I don't see any difference in them being frozen as opposed to fresh? Personally i can't imagine using stalks raw- you'd really have to have a high speed blender to make it smooth!
I cook the stalks, but only use leaves in smoothies or salads raw

 

[zki]

I don't see any difference in them being frozen as opposed to fresh? Personally i can't imagine using stalks raw- you'd really have to have a high speed blender to make it smooth!
I cook the stalks, but only use leaves in smoothies or salads raw

I'll tell ya, when the stalks are cut into cubes it's never an issue (I have a Ninja 1000 watt) - I use a 2 of 3 setting - they blend easily - you can't even tell they're in there - I thick the freezing does something to them. That's a good point though, if they were attached to the leaf they would be longer and not cubed...

 

[silva]

I'll tell ya, when the stalks are cut into cubes it's never an issue (I have a Ninja 1000 watt) - I use a 2 of 3 setting - they blend easily - you can't even tell they're in there - I thick the freezing does something to them. That's a good point though, if they were attached to the leaf they would be longer and not cubed...

I may be wrong about freezing not changing things- it very well may since the ice crystalizes? Try both ways! But I would think you'd still want to cut them up to make blending easier. I don't really know, although I just thought about how many types of kale there are. Some have much more tender stalks where others are hard and almost woody

 

[spirit2change]

I thick the freezing does something to them.

I may be wrong about freezing not changing things- it very well may since the ice crystalizes?

Could it be that the water expands when it freezes, and this breaks the cell walls and softens the plant?

The following phenomena have been demonstrated and discussed: .... Freezing of cell walls and their longitudinal splitting.

Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 6, Issue 3, October 1955, Pages 384–391

 

[zki]

Good info., thank you. Ya gotta keep an eye on that longitudinal splitting, LOL..