Celebrate veggies all year long with a new vegetable each week! This week we're highlighting kale.
I'm celebrating Veggies All Year, and this week's veggie is Kale.
Yes, I know everyone is obsessed with kale. You can't go to Foodgawker or Pinterest without seeing a recipe for kale in the first five rows of pictures.
There's good reason for the kale obsession: it's really good for you. How good for you? Let's check out kale's nutrition facts...
[clickToTweet tweet="Get on board with #kale and all its benefits with #VeggiesAllYear" quote="Get on board with #kale and all its benefits with #VeggiesAllYear"]
Kale Nutrition:
*1 cup raw chopped kale ~ 33 calories, 0.5g fat, 0.1g saturated fat, 6.7g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 2.2g protein, 134% Vitamin C, 206% Vitamin A, 9% Calcium, 9% Potassium, 684% Vitamin K, 10% Copper, 26% Manganese, 121mg Omega 3's
Kale Fun Facts:
*Kale is a member of the cabbage family; therefore, it is a cruciferous vegetable {like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.}
*It has a strong and/or bitter flavor that pairs well with rich dishes like meats.
*There are many different types of kale. Common varieties are green kale, red kale, and lacinato kale.
*Like many plants, kale offers multiple benefits: inflammation lowering, cancer fighting, and antioxidant powers.
*Both raw kale and cooked kale offer tons of health benefits. Raw kale provides more of certain vitamins but cooked kale allows for other vitamins & minerals to be better absorbed in your body. Cooked kale also has higher immune boosting rates and cholesterol lowering effects than q {but both are helpful}.
*Glucosinolates {natural plant chemicals} found in kale are beneficial for fighting multiple different cancers as well as offering support for the body's natural detoxification system.
Kale Tips:
*Look for bright-colored, crisp leaves that show little signs of wilting, discoloration, or insect damage.
*Wrap your kale in plastic and store in the fridge for about 3-5 days. It's best if you wash right before serving. If your kale starts to wilt, you can easily revive the kale by filling a bowl with ice water and letting the kale sit in the ice water for a few minutes. Dry well and your kale should be back to its crispy, leafy self again.
*One bunch of kale is about 12 ounces and is 12 cups chopped
*Kale is available year-round but its peak season is in the colder months and very beginning of spring.
*The Environmental Working Group recommends that kale be organic if you consume it often. It isn't on the Dirty Dozen list but it is commonly pesticide contaminated.
*Lacinato kale {otherwise known as dinosaur kale, black kale, or Tuscan kale} has much darker leaves but it is known to be lighter in flavor than regular curly green kale. I did a taste test and completely agree with this statement. I've always purchased the curly green kale, but the lacinato kale is the way to go as it is much easier to ease yourself into the world of kale.
Kale Recipes:
Miso Brown Rice with Kale Bowl
Crispy Pasta with Kale and Parmesan
Kale, Artichoke, and Ricotta Pie
Kale Chips {that aren't gross}
For more recipes, I turned to some of my favorite blogs to give you more inspiration for how to include kale in your diet.
-
- Kale & Chicken Quinoa Salad from fANNEtastic food
- Sweetpotato & Kale Tostadas from Teaspoon of Spice
- Spicy Sausage Lentil & Kale Soup from The Lean Green Bean
- Kale with Toasted Walnuts & Parmesan from Marisa Moore Nutrition
- Greek Tacos with Kale and Creamy Feta Sauce from Rachael Hartley Nutrition
- Vegetarian Pumpkin and Kale Pasta Bake from MJ and Hungryman
- Vegan Kale and Mushroom Miso Soup from The Foodie Dietitian {guest post on Delicious Knowledge}
- Minty Kale Limeade Mocktails from immaeatthat
Be sure to come back this week to get some recipes and eat #veggiesallyear!
Meme
What are your thoughts on kale - love it, hate it, or don't care? What's your favorite way to eat kale?
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
Thanks for including my version of kale chips in your post! I sort of can't believe I made the kale post since I too don't have an obsession with it!
Meme says
You're welcome! They looked too easy not to include ๐
And I love that I'm not the only one who isn't obsessed with kale!
Shashi at Runninsrilankan says
I did not know that "Cooked kale also has higher immune boosting rates and cholesterol lowering effects than raw"! Thanks for the info Meme - I love kale - but I think I end up eating anything I put it in before I think of photographing it - bad food blogger I am! ๐
Meme says
It's so fun to learn new things about all these veggies -- I am having the best time researching each one!
The challenge to take the picture before eating the food is an everyday struggle, isn't it?! haha!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Everyone needs more kale in their life! Such a fun green to cook with!
Meme says
I totally agree Rebecca! It's so great for you!
Alanna says
I am a kale lover! My favorite way would have to be kale chips. That kale and ricotta pie - oh my gosh yessss! I might just have to make that this week ๐
Meme says
I'm with you -- kale chips are pretty delicious. I prefer them dehydrated though which can be kind of a pain to make haha. And yes, that kale and ricotta pie is delish and easy, and I love to have it as a breakfast, brunch, snack, or lunch ๐