It is truly a crime that one of the most nutrient dense plants makes most of its appearances adorning slimy fish in grocery stores, fluffing up large chain restaurant salad bars and looking perky and pretty next to the saddest of dishes.
The deep, bitter flavor compliments sweet and creamy, salty and rich so nicely that it is time to let it shine. To start, if you have yet to experience Kale Chips it is time to jump on the bandwagon. They are delightfully crispy as they shatter into tiny morsels of salty goodness in your mouth.
Like most dark winter greens, kale can be roughly chopped and sauteed with any medley of flavors, oils, nuts, and dried fruit for a spectacular main dish, but it is also heavenly raw. The next time you have a bunch of kale, thinly slice it and massage in your favorite salad dressing which will make it even more pleasant to chew. Creamy Ginger Kale Salad and Coconut-Kale Salad are two of my favorites.
Whenever I make smoothies, kale will not stay safe in the vegetable drawer as I prefer it whipped in giving a grassy essence to an otherwise simple fruit smoothie.
It is best to purchase kale in its perky stage, but if you leave it in your fridge until it is wilted just plan to cook it before the edges turn brown. If it is coming from a farm and is a bit dirty, shake it in a bowl full of water until the dirt settles on the bottom. Lift the kale up and repeat until the water is clean. Lay the wet kale on a dish towel and roll it up gently to quickly dry the leaves. These cleaning and drying methods work well for other dark leafy greens too.
To find out more about kale’s nutritious effects check out Dr. Kaycie Rosen’s blog on Kale and Hormone Balance.
Whether you are ready to try this hearty green, previously known as a garnish, or you already are sold on the idea that it is a super food I hope you plan to just eat a lot more kale.
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