It's true what they say. Kale is king of veggies and more than a healthy food fad. Read why kale nutrients improve your health, body and love life.
Have you heard of kale? It’s green. It’s leafy. It’s edible. It’s nutritious. It's trendy. It's sexy, and it's a good food to impress a hot date. Introduce your culinary skills, health, diet and date to kale: one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet that nourishes the body and may even spark romance.
Kale is a superfood that’s chock-full of nutrients and natural health benefits. Each bite is like crunching into from-the-earth green goodness that helps prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, detox the body and healthily maintain the immune system and metabolism.
Shopping for Kale
Kale, also known as the “queen of greens,” is a leafy vegetable. It contains bunches of dark green, long leaves with curly edges. Kale is available year-long, sweetest during the winter and should be purchased chilled in the produce section. Avoid leaves that are wilted, brown or course. Store it in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for up to a week.
Kale Preparation
To thoroughly wash kale, fill your sink with water and rinse the leaves throughout; then drain. Cut off the stems and midrib. VegFamily.com recommends folding leaves in half with the vein side outward and cutting down vertically. If smooth leaves have ribs, then you can chop the ribs to cook with the leaves.
Cooking Kale
Kale is versatile. Kale is to healthy diets as shrimp is to Bubba Blue. Shrimp is the food of the sea? Kale is the food of nutritional eating. You can steam it. Blanch it. Boil it. Braise it. Sautee it. Season it. Mince it. There’s kale salad. Kale casserole. Kale soup. Kale rice pilaf. Kale chips. Kale stir-fry. Kale lasagna. Kale smoothies. Kale dip. “That, that’s about it.” Actually, it’s not. You can use it as a pizza topping, put it in a burrito, add it to potatoes, throw it in pasta, toss it in your bath, scrub it on your face. Kale is so delicious it can hold its own as a main dish or play a supporting role with its greeny good looks and nutritional talents.
Benefits of Kale
Healthy knowledge is sexy. As you cook your dinner, you can flirtatiously educate your date about the nutritional value of kale and its extensive benefits:
- Kale is a popular vegetable for one. Enough said.
- Kale has zero fat and is low in calories, which means another glass of wine.
- Kale provides the body with vitamins A, K and C. A is for great vision and skin. K is for cancer prevention. C is for maximizing the immune system and metabolism.
- Kale has lots of calcium — more than milk — per calorie. Calcium helps strengthen bones, prevents osteoporosis and reduces risks of cardiovascular disease.
- Kale detoxes, lowers cholesterol, aids in anti-inflammation and provides antioxidants (e.g. carotenoids and flavonoids).
- Kale contains lusty nutrients: fiber, iron, potassium, omega-3 fats and protein.
Preparing a salad with chickpeas, edamame and avocado? Put kale in it. Making a penne pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and bacon? Put kale in it. Baking chocolate-chip fudge brownies? Put kale in it. (I mean, if you want to.) The possibilities are endless.
