Today I am naturally crazy for kale, the king of veggies, one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Some of you may be thinking (yuck) bitter taste, or I just don’t know what to do with it.
My father and I didn’t have what I would call a healthy relationship but what he did teach me was the benefit of eating my veggies. As youngsters my siblings and I were relegated to assisting with the planting of the garden (more like the size of a small field) and the maintenance, hoeing, picking, etc. From there some of us were moved into the kitchen (yours truly) for the canning of those fresh-picked beauties or blanching to freeze for future meals. I’m sure I did some whining at the time but am forever grateful for those lessons.
A nutritional powerhouse, the list of benefits derived from kale goes on and on. It is a cruciferous vegetable, much like broccoli, cabbage, or brussel sprouts, so has cancer-preventive properties and provides cardiovascular support. It is a super antioxidant, a detoxifier, an anti-inflammatory, is chock-full of vitamins A, C, K and many minerals, such as potassium and iron. Kale is unusually high in fiber, which is sorely lacking in many diets and is a great way to flush out fats and toxins from our system.
This super veggie comes in many varieties:
Curly – more pungent, peppery flavor
Ornamental – more mellow flavor and tender texture
Dinosaur (Lacinato or Tuscan) – slightly sweeter and more delicate taste
Here are just a few ideas for enjoying this amazingly versatile veggie:
Green Drink (made in blender)
- ½ green apple
- 1/2 cucumber (peeled)
- 1/2 c. baby spinach or kale (or more to your liking)
- 1/2 lemon (peeled)
- 1 small piece ginger root
- 2 c. filtered water
Green Drink (made with juicer)
- 6 kale leaves
- 4 celery stalks
- 2 green apples
- ½ lemon (peeled)
- 1 sm. piece ginger root
- ½ bunch kale
- ½ head red cabbage (can be made with green cabbage if red not available)
- 1 red or yellow pepper
- 5 scallions
- ½ pkg. arame seaweed
- Lots of raw almonds (2+ cups) and raw sesame seeds (1/4 cup)
- Equal parts of organic toasted sesame seed oil and organic tamari
Chop kale, cabbage, pepper and scallions. Put the almonds in a strong plastic bag and chop them in the bag with a mallet until coarsely chopped. Soak the arame in water for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and strain. Put everything together and add sesame oil and tamari to taste.
For a quick “get your greens” dish, sauté kale with garlic in extra virgin olive oil (just until tender ~ 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add sea salt and a healthy squeeze of lemon juice.
So now, no more excuses. This king of veggies can be a regular addition to your meal planning. Eat your greens and enjoy!
Paint Your Landscape 
I love kale, too! I didn’t really discover this veggie until a little later, but it’s so versatile. I love it especially in a good hearty fresh veggie soup, but my favorite preparation is simply baking it in the oven with some olive oil, garlic, and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Sooooo good.
Always nice to see some kale appreciation!
Ooh, I like the idea of baking it in the oven. Will have to try that next. Thanks!
I’ve had kale salad and actuallyl enjoyed it…although I’m not so sure the dressing I put on it was the best idea! Great post…as usual!
It is sooo good for you. We try to eat it a couple of times a week.
I love me some kale!
When I was a young guy in my teens, I had a German family that always made German dishes. One of my favorites, as I recall, was to boil the Kale in hot water until tender. The mom then mixed the Kale with mashed potatos and then we mixed in some yellow mustard. It was a great dish and a perfect way to get a teenager to eat some vegetables. Rog & Gayl
That sounds yummy! I am going to have to give that recipe a try. Hope you two are doing well at San Elijo. We miss you both!
Your dad did one thing right if he taught you to appreciate vegetables. Just had kale in my salad- yum.
As a kid I remember having every kind of green imaginable growing in our garden.
We go through a lot of kale. Our favorite thing is to use it in our protien green smoothies after we work out.
Love it in smoothies.
I’m glad I can access this anytime, which I will when I get home. I will have to brave getting into my daughter-in-law’s kitchen and teach her some new tricks.
You may be surprised. She just might thank you for it!
I have nominated you for the Beautiful Blogger Award, please check out my post from June 14 for the details
Juia, I am so very touched. Thank you so much!
you’re welcome, I love reading about your adventures 🙂
Not sure what prompted me to click on this, but I LOVE kale… my friend makes a scrumptious kale soup, too. I was just sitting here wondering what to do with my Tuscan kale… think I’ll try the juice recipe (except I can’t stand celery!) I also have some watercress on hand, might try tossing it in there, too! 😀
Sounds yummy to me. I absolutely love kale! 🙂