Good and Good for You -- Kale

 

At lunch today, one of my co-workers was talking about how she keeps pre-packaged portions of smoothie ingredients in her freezer, you know for easy early morning smoothie production.  I did a double-take when she mentioned that one of them was kale.  What the kale is that about?

Though I was kind of eyeing a big curly-leafed bag of kale at the grocery store the other day and flashing back to a dish that one of my catering folks makes, a delectable concoction of kale, corn, cheese and rice which is to die for.

I've not worked with a lot of kale so thought I'd do a little investigating and try it out.  But first, let me tell you why this green veggie should be a part of your daily do too.

KALE

Kale comes from the same family (borecole) as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, collard greens and cabbage, though it most closely resembles wild cabbage.  It can have green or purple leaves, the more common being the curly green.  Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was THE green veggie, the most commonly used throughout Europe.  Couldn't find info on who or what usurped its hot spot, but probably that upstart cabbage.

Kale has a long growing season which extends well into the winter. It has a very intense, almost bitter taste but interestingly enough, when exposed to a bit of frost, it becomes sweeter and more flavorful. On the other hand, when kale is combined with lemon juice or oil, it becomes much more mild.

Kale freezes well and can be steamed, stir fried, boiled, or eaten raw.  It goes well with bacon, eggs, and cheese (mmm, kale, corn, cheese and rice).  When you bake or dehydrate kale it takes on the crispy consistency of a chip and is quite tasty.  Adds a nice little crunch to any dish.

FYI, kale is similar to spinach in that it shrinks a lot when cooked, so don't skimp on your initial toss-in.  And always make sure to carefully wash your kale because those curly leaves are notorious for capturing sand and soil in their twisty little grasp.

Besides its culinary versatility, kale is a very nutritious.  It contains the highest levels of antioxidants of any veggie and it also contains more calcium and iron than any other veggie.  It also has:

* Selenium, helpful in the fight against cancer
* Lots of vitamin C, making it a very efficient vegetable in that it provides enough vitamin C to help your body absorb the iron it also provides
*Magnesium and vitamin E, useful for maintaining a healthy heart
*Calcium, for keeping your bones healthy
*Carotenes, for keeping your eye healthy
*Indoles, which can assist in lowering bad cholesterol
*And a host of other nutrients that help your skin stay healthy and young looking

Anybody else up for a kale smoothie now?