Kale: Just Try It

Kale has been getting a lot of attention.  It’s a superfood.  What is a superfood?  Imagine Popeye chugging down his can of spinach, becoming super Popeye and saving the day.  Kind of….  Actually, it’s the designation given to foods that are calorie sparse and nutrient dense.  It’s a food that gives you a lot of bang for the buck, packed with anti-oxidants and essential nutrients.  

Kale belongs to the cabbage family. It is loaded with anti-oxidants especially vitamins A & C, and has cancer fighting, inflammation reducing properties.  It is high in fiber.  When cooked, kale helps lower cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.  Kale is high in Omega-3 fatty acids which are also believed to reduce heart disease. 

My husband is a big fan of Kale Chips or Kale Crispies.  Spread kale on a cookie sheet, sprinkle olive or flaxseed oil & mix.  Then salt liberally with sea salt.  Cook at 275 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  Edges should just start to hint at brown. 

Kale can be thrown into soups or pasta. It can be eaten as a substitute for lettuce in salad.  I’ve heard some say that it is bitter, but I find it reminds me of cabbage slightly, and makes a great salad.  A word of caution, the stems can be rather fibrous, so limit them in your salad.  There is a baby kale on the market now which I find works best. Kale is also good sautéed.  Try throwing some in a pan with a little olive oil, salt & pepper and sauté it with apples and top with walnuts and a little balsamic vinegar.  Yumm-O!  There are recipes all over the internet.  All the cool kids are eating it!

A word of caution, anyone taking anticoagulants such as Coumadin or warfarin should avoid kale because of its high vitamin K content.  Vitamin K works against Coumadin, so it’s nothing to mess with.  Talk to your doctor.

Everyone else, try it! Get your Popeye on! Your body will thank you! 

Photo and article courtesy of Krista Wilbur Maloney