I was at the grocery store the other day and I started to think about all of the foods that have come in and out of "style". Food is almost like fashion in a sense. There always seems to be something to eat that is "so hot right now" - ala Hansel from Zoolander. (I'm totally showing my age with that reference.)
These foods are popularized and hyped up, but I feel like the nutritional facts and information about why these things are so good for you can get glossed over most of the time. All you know is that, according to some word of mouth or something you saw or read in the news, that [insert food here] is what you should be eating at the moment.
I thought it would be nice to start a "series" about fad fruits and veggies and feature information in a digestible (wocka wocka Fozzy Bear) format - just some bullet points with basic information. To start off the series, I chose kale because it appears to be the "cool kid" of the moment. Also, because I have actually tried this stuff and really like it, so I have no qualms recommending it and telling you that this leafy green lives up to the hype.
Say hello to kale:
What do we know about kale? Well, from the photo above we can tell that kale is a leafy green, and its name sounds like it belongs to something that was found at the bottom of the ocean (Or maybe I am thinking of kelp? I digress.). But what can kale do for you?
- Kale is in the Brassica family, which is a group of veggies that also includes cabbage, collard greens, and brussels sprouts. Kale is a descendant of wild cabbage.
- Kale is rich in vitamin A - one cup of kale contains 10,302 IU of it.
- Kale is also a good source for vitamin C offering 80.4 mg per cup.
- Kale is a great source for vitamin K.
- Kale contains high amounts of sulfur and fiber.
- One cup of kale contains 121 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids and 92.4 milligrams of omega-6 fatty acids. These essential, polyunsaturated fats contain anti-inflammatory properties and support brain function.
- Per calorie, kale contains more iron than beef and more calcium than milk.
(Information on kale was found at the following websites: http://spiritfoods.net/health-benefits-of-kale/ and http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38)
The best way - for me - to describe the flavor of kale is to compare it to spinach. Spinach - cooked and uncooked - has a soft and mild flavor. In my opinion, it really does not taste like anything in particular. Uncooked, kale has a bitter flavor but when it is cooked becomes milder and sweeter.
The first time I had kale, I decided to prepare it much the same way I do with spinach - sauteed in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. I actually prefer kale to spinach when cooked this way because it doesn't cook down or wilt too much, the way spinach does. The leaves stay curly and keep their shape for the most part. The taste of cooked kale is a little sweeter as compared to cooked spinach.
I have also added kale to my smoothies. While this tasted very good as well, you have to watch your portions and make sure there are very sweet tasting fruits, like banana, included in the smoothie. Otherwise, everything ends up tasting a little too much like kale. Also, I recommend that you immediately soak the blender pitcher in hot water to ensure that none of the pesky little kale bits stick to the sides of the blender.
If I incorporate raw kale with other salad greens, then I make sure to chop up the salad in order to better distribute the kale. That way, I don't end up with mouthfuls of bitter kale greens that I want to douse in salad dressing.
A co-worker of mine added chopped kale to a sausage and white bean soup - she said it was delicious. Keep kale in mind as an ingredient option if you decide make some soup this week or in the near future.
So that's it! I hope you found this little blurb on kale informative and that it has inspired you to give kale a try the next time you see it in the grocery store or at a restaurant.
Take care and talk to you soon!
Whoa, good to know! With nutrients like that, who needs beef or milk?! Just kidding, but it does make me feel bad about choosing those over kale. I loved the Kale in the soup, no bitter or overwhelming flavor when done in a soup and as you commented it holds it's form better than spinach, so I prefer the texture! Thanks J! ~DD
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