21 December, 2021
Kale For Salads Soups & Side Dish – recipes included
Kale is a leafy, cruciferous vegetable that is rich in nutrients. It comes in so many varieties, and in flavor variations as well.
Kale leaves can be white, red, purple and green. With either flat to curly-leaf edges.
There are 8 varieties of eatable kale and they include:
- Curly Kale
- Lacinato Kale
- Red Russian Kale
- Siberian Kale
- Chinese Kale
- Redbor Kale
- Premier Kale
- Walking Stick Kale
Depending on the variety, the flavor of kale can be a sweet to nutty sweet flavor or a peppery slightly bitter flavor.
The stems and ribs of the leaves are tougher and even more strongly flavored than the leaves themselves.
Most recipes will call for removing the stem and rib before adding it to the dish.
Baby Kale verses Large Kale
If you want to a salad using kale, use what is packaged as “baby kale.” The leaves are harvested small and have a milder flavor.
Save the larger leaves for soups, stews, and other cooked dishes.
You can also use them as substitutes for spinach or cabbage to add variety to the flavor of your favorite dishes.
Benefits Of Eating Kale
Kale offers a range of health benefits for the whole body.
Kale has a wide range of nutrients that can help prevent various health problems.
The leafy green contains fiber, antioxidants, vitamins C and K, and including minerals like calcium and iron.
Antioxidants help the body remove unwanted toxins that result from natural processes and environmental pressures.
These toxins, known as free radicals, are unstable molecules. If too many build up in your body, they can lead to cell damage. This could result in health problems such as inflammation and diseases.
Kale and other green vegetables that contain chlorophyll can help prevent the body from absorbing heterocyclic amines (Source).
These are chemicals that occur when you grill or cook meat at a high temperatures.
A cup of cooked kale provides almost five times an adult’s daily need for vitamin K, around 15–18% of their calcium need, and about 7% of the daily phosphorus requirement.
Some research has reported that a high intake of vitamin K could help reduce the risk of bone fractures. Vitamin K is also needed for blood clotting.
Try these recipes with:
- Lemon Artichoke Chicken
- Apple Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake
- Warm Brussels Sprouts & Dilled Potato Salad
- Chocolate Mexican Coffee Cake
- Slow Cooking, is it Safe?
- Chicken Sausage & Tortellini Soup
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