The Power of Kale

I have heard a lot of hype about how healthy kale is in the past couple months, but I wasn't sure what to do with it once I bought it, so I shied away from it. The other day I was enjoying lunch in a local neighborhood and my friend ordered a dish with fresh grilled salmon and kale. It was AMAZING! I was inspired to start using kale in my diet. The waitress told me that all they did was take fresh kale, chop it up very fine and toss it in fresh olive oil, pressed garlic, sea salt, pepper and pine nuts.

Kale belongs to the Brasicca family that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens and Brussels sprouts with several health benefits. Kale is packed with vitamins and minerals such as iron, manganese, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K and carotenoids. It has been touted for possibly helping to protect us from cancer, cataracts, emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis. Kale also has 7 times the beta-carotene of broccoli and 10 times more lutein, which helps with eye health.

I haven't perfected the restaurant dish yet, but have been putting fresh kale in my salads and it tastes great - a lot like broccoli. Below is great salad recipe if you are interested in venturing into the healthy land of kale. Cheers!

P.S. *Kale contains goitrogen which is naturally occurring and might interfere with thyroid function, if you have thyroid problems.

Ingredients: (feeds 4 people)

        Dressing

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Agave Syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
• 1/2 cup olive oil

 

• 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, torn into bite-sized pieces (can use spinach as well)
• 1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced
• 1 (6 ounce) container crumbled low fat feta cheese, or more to taste
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Directions

1. Whisk the vinegar, agave syrup, salt, pepper, and oregano in a bowl until the honey has dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil until evenly blended. Place the kale, Swiss chard, chicken, feta cheese, cherries, and walnuts into a bowl. Toss with the dressing to serve.