The subject of Kale

Kale is a wonderful food, although I did not always feel this way!  The first time I bought kale was at our local grocery store.  I got home, washed it really good, followed the directions by cutting out the tough stem, etc. and cooked as directed.  Yuck!  It was so tough I neither one of us could eat it and Mike informed me he could probably go the rest of his life without that.  When I was at whole foods, I saw baby kale in the container and decided it was worth giving another go.  The leaves looked nothing like the curly grownups that were so impossible to digest!  I brought it home and cooked it many different ways, and threw it into whatever I was making at the time, and it was fabulous and I always pick up a container when I'm in a Whole Foods.  Then one day when I was browsing at our local Farmer's Market, I was standing next to some "Kurly Kale" while checking out, and asked the organic farmer about it, telling him my previously story.  He informed me that what I had before from the grocery store is what they throw away!  His kale was bright green, and soft, and small-leaved and looked wonderful-so I tried it.  Brought it home, washed it well, cut out the stem and chopped it up and sauteed it with a teaspoon of olive oil, garlic and onion and it was so wonderful, just like he said it would be.  Now I get it and throw it into everything, salads, soups, stews, smoothies, etc.  Even Kale Chips! I will never buy from the grocery store again!  He recommended always rinsing well under running water working your fingers around the curls (especially if organic)!  He said some people rub it down with lemon, or oil or avacado before eating raw in salads as a "tenderizer", and chop into SMALL pieces, don't throw in whole leaves. 

If you're wondering why go to all this work, here's some info that might change your mind about KALE:

From Veganism:

Kale is a Vegan's T-Bone steak, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse” that is the life force from the earth.

Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

No matter if you throw kale into your salads, steam it along with cauliflower and broccoli, dehydrate it into kale chips or throw it in your juicer along with red cabbage, parsley, beets and carrots - kale has all the elements of a prefect food; antioxidants, protein, calcium, enzymes and an abundance of vitamins.

Tropical Kale salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing
1 head curly Kale, stems stripped, broken into small pieces and massaged with drizzle of olive oil
1 pint organic strawberries, de-hulled and cut into quarters
1 pint of blueberries
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
¼ c. finely diced red onion
¼ c. shredded coconut
¼ c. pinenuts, lightly toasted
¼ c. golden raisins
Place all ingredients except one handful of blueberries together in a large bowl. Toss with dressing.
Dressing
Handful fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons Grade B Maple Syrup
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
½ tsp sea salt
Blend dressing ingredients together until smooth.