Being a nutritional powerhouse packed with more nutrients than your typical green leafy vegetables, KALE has definitely grown much in popularity with health enthusiasts these days. Kale comes from the cabbage family and is also called black kale, cavolo nero or Tuscan black cabbage. This frilly vegetable even surpasses vitamin and mineral content of the once popular spinach. Rich in nutrients very much needed for healthy bones, skin and eyes, it promotes good digestion and immune function. It is packed with Omega-3, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus and Potassium. It even has 3x more Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Beta Carotene and 10x more Vitamin C than spinach. Although we can almost consider kale as the perfect vegetable, it however contains naturally occurring substances called Oxylates that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Hence, do not plan your calcium-rich food intake together with kale in your meals.
When picking out Kale, avoid ones that are yellowing, dry and wilted. Choose the ones that are a healthy dark green to purple to a deep red in color and have a lot of spring to them.
Upon storage keep them unwashed until it is time to use them, as moisture speeds up wilting and decay. Put them in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually at the back, and keep away from other stored foods that have a strong smell, especially meats. Use within 3 days of purchase.
Because Kale is slightly bitter in flavor, pairing it with other fruits and juices plus a thorough washing will considerably tone down its tart taste. Below are 5 awesomely delicious ways to enjoy Kale in a nutritious snack, appetizer or drink!
1. KALE TACOS
To make 2 “tacos” you will need:
- 2 kale leaves
- 1 chopped tomato
- a handful of chopped cilantro
To assemble:
- Fold kale leaf
- Spoon chopped tomatoes and cilantro, then carefully place in folded leaf
- Serve with blue cheese or cheddar cheese dip
2. FRUITY KALE SALAD
To make 2 servings you will need:
- 1 large bunch kale leaves, shredded thinly
- a squeeze of lemon
- ¼ tsp olive oil
- a pinch of sea salt
- a dash of black pepper
- 2 handfuls chopped onions
- 1 chopped tomato
- ½ an apple, sliced thinly
- ½ an orange, peeled and separated into sections
- a handful chopped mint
To prepare:
- After shredding the kale, massage a good squeeze of lemon, a little olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- Toss and sprinkle with more fresh ground pepper and sea salt to taste
- Serve with your favorite vinaigrette or dressing
3. KALE WRAP
To make 2 wraps you will need:
- 2 kale leaves
- 1 sliced tomato
- ½ small cucumber, grated
- ½ small carrot, grated
- ¼ small avocado, sliced vertically
To assemble:
- Lay out kale leaves, set tomato, cucumber, carrots and avocado on top
- Wrap carefully and serve with your favorite dip!
4. KALE JUICE
To make 2 servings you will need:
- 3 kale leaves, cut into 2 inch strips
- 1 cucumber, unpeeled and cut into strips
- 3 stalks of celery cut into 2 inch lengths
- 1 apple chopped
- 1/3 cup parsley sprigs
- ½ lemon, peeled
Feed kale, cucumber, celery, apple, parsley and lemon into a juicer. Discard the leftover solids, pour into glasses and serve!
5. KALE SMOOTHIE
To make 2 servings you will need:
- 2 cups chopped kale
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 1-1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 ripe banana
To prepare:
- Combine the coconut milk, water, the kale, strawberries and banana in a blender
- Puree until smooth, about 1 minute
- Add more water to smoothen consistency
Samantha Samonte is a writer for Culinary One, a website about culinary careers, cuisines and food. Helping aspiring chefs to find the best cooking schools. She spends the rest of her time living life to the fullest in the company of her laptop and creative writing prowess.