Kale is not a staple in most Americans households--but it should be! We find it as a garnish on dishes served in restaurants and wonder if it is edible. Well, let me tell you, it is probably one of the most nutritious superfoods on the planet.
Some people say kale is bitter, and it can be. However, the secret is choose a bunch with smaller leaves, which are milder. There are different varieties of kale--this picture is curly kale which is most often found in grocery stores everywhere. However, I was in Arizona and had dinosaur kale which was more of a purple color and very sweet--delicious!! I have not found it in grocery stores here, (Whole Foods in Arizona sold it), but I was able to buy some locally at a farmer's market over the summer. However, the best time to buy kale is from November thru March as it is much sweeter if harvested after the first frost.
Kale is loaded with substances that protect against cancer, cataracts, emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also
- Packed with antioxidants
- Belongs to the cabbage family
- Neutralizes free radicals (free radicals can turn our 'healthy cells" to cancer cells)
- Keeps our eyes and vision healthy--protects against age-related macular degeneration
- 1 cup of kale provides more than 100% of the daily value of Vitamins A, C and K
- Because it is an excellent source of Vitamin K, it promotes bone formation and strengthening
- Has minerals like copper, sodium, potassium, iron, maganese and phosphorus
So, what do we do with this curly looking leaf? Rinse the leaves well and tear the leaves from the stems. I put kale in my soups, you can put it in omelets, saute it in a small amount of water with onions and garlic, throw it any any stir-frys you may be making--even use it as a pizza topping.
Many people are now making kale chips...very simple...cut the leaves in to small pieces, spread them on a cookie sheet, drizzle a tiny amount of extra-virgin olive oil on the leaves with some salt. Bake for about 10 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees--be careful not to burn them. Delicious!!
Here is a recipe I tried last night--it is excellent! It is called "massaged" because you actually use your hands and massage the leaves---it softens them up and they become really mild. I was skeptical, but it worked....I will make this recipe often.
MASSAGED KALE SALAD
5 large kale leaves, cut into a fine chiffonade*
6 crimini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 avocado, roughly chopped
pinch of salt
1-2 lemons, juiced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 large handfuls baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small shallots or 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Handful of coarsely chopped slivered almonds
2 T nutritional yeast
*Chiffonade--stack the kale leaves on top of one another, roll them up like a cigar and then cut into thin strips.
- Place the thinly sliced shallots/onions in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes, then drain, this will remove the pungency and raw "bite"
- In a large salad bowl, place the kale, mushrooms, avocado, salt and the juice of 1 lemon. Rub and squeeze the mixture with your hands until the kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, spinach, carrot, tomatoes and shallots/onion and mix gently with your hands just to combine. Add the slivered almonds and nutritional yeast, and stir to combine.
- Taste and add more salt and the juice of the second lemon if you think it needs it. I added the juice from 1/2 of the second lemon.
This was absolutely delicious...and by eating the kale raw, you are getting every last bit of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and all of the above protective qualities of kale...it is literally a powerhouse full of nutrition!!
You have to try this......
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