Health Benefits of Kale

When I was a child, kale was one of my least favorite foods.  Because it was always cooked a certain way, it didn’t appear to me very much.  I now discovered some new recipes and I love kale with all its powerful nutrition.

Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) from the Acephala group and is related to broccoli, brussels sprouts, and collard greens. It comes in form of deep green or purple leaves (the center never forms a head).

Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin C and K, lutein, zeaxanthin and is rich in calcium.  Its sulforaphane contents are released when chopped or juiced and are full of potent anti-cancer properties.  See full nutritional data at Nutrition and You.

Here are my two favorite recipes:

Crispy Kale Chips

1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.

With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly; dry kale in between paper towels. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.

Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Kale Soup

Ingredients:

4 Tbs. Coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 pound of sweet potatoes (2 large), peeled and cubed

2 cups of chicken broth

1 large bunch of kale, washed, and chopped

3 cups water

1 pound of smoked turkey sausage, cut into bite size

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the coconut oil and stir fry the onion and garlic until nice and brown.  Add chicken broth and water, sweet potatoes and kale and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  Add the sausage pieces and cook for another 15 minutes. 

Makes 4-6 servings of delicious soup. 

Serve with bread and it makes a great meal.  If you can find all organic ingredients, you will know that it does the body even better.

As the days get cooler or if you just want a healthy snack, think of kale. When I went to Cosco the other day I picked up a bag of baby kale, containing already washed and small-sized leaves.  They are ready for the soup.  We really don’t have any excuse for living more healthy.

My favorite websites for recipes and information are:

Food Network, Whole Foods, and Health Diaries.