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KALE
Kale Leaf Conte Crayon sketch on green paper
by Wendy Fachon
When Rhode Islanders think of Kale, they think of Portugeuse soup, but Kale can be used for so much more and should be. Besides being a cancer-fighting powerhouse, Kale is also loaded with calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C and K. It also has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli.
This miraculous vegetable also has powerful cancer-fighting phytochemicals that have been found to protect against breast, cervical, and colon cancer. High in sulfur, Kale forms sulforaphane, which when chopped or chewed, triggers the liver to remove free radicals and other chemicals that cause DNA damage.
Organic Kale is reasonably priced and can be purchased at Whole Foods or at a local farmer's market. Try simmering Kale with garlic and olive oil in a covered saucepan. Or, add chopped Kale to chicken soup during the last three minutes of cooking. You can also mix Kale with mustard greens, and romaine lettuce, into a salad with oil, vinegar, and crushed garlic.
My main source for nutritional information is a fabulous book titled The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. C.N.S. This is the perfect reference to complement your cookbook collection.
GREEN POWER SALAD
Microgreens (sprouts) are a power-packed and FUN addition to a salad of kale and other dark greens. Each sprout can have as much or more of certain micronutrients as a mature plant. Different beneficial phytochemicals occur and different parts of a plant, and when you eat a sprout, you're getting the benefits of all: root, stem and leaves. Microgreens can be grown in jars, covered with cheese cloth. Seeds and instructions available at Botanical Interests.
In this recipe I used Rainbow Blend produced by a Rhode Island company, Farming Turtles - some combination of arugula, amaranth, bulls blood beet, celery, parsley, red cabbage, purple kohlrabi, rainbow chard, red giant mustard, mizuna, red russian kale, and pac choi. This makes a delicate and colorful topping to a healthy salad, while adding levels of flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Spinach, bite-sized shreds
2 Cups Kale, bite-sized shreds
2 Cups Romaine lettuce, bite-sized shreds
1 Cups baby tomatoes
3/4 ounce microgreens
Dressing
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons Udo's Oil 3-6-9 Blend
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix spinach, kale, and Romaine in a bowl. Top with tomatoes and microgreens. Combine dressing ingredients thoroughly and pour over salad.
SENSATIONAL WINTER
KALE SOUP
This particular recipes uses organically grown Lacinato Kale, an heirloom Italian kale of a deep green, but you can use other varieties of kale or napa cabbage. The spicy flavors of jalapenos and linguica, the sweetness of sweet corn and sweet potatoes, and the nuttiness omany organic ingredients as possible. More recipes.
INGREDIENTS
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 bunch fresh kale (leafy part shredded, ribs chopped)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 cups canneloni beans, cooked
2 linguica (all natural, no nitrates), sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels trimmed from cob
1/3 t. paprika
sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh oregano
1/4 cup Udo's Oil 3-6-9 Blend
In a large soup pot, saute chopped kale ribs, garlic, onion, sweet potato, celery, and jalapeno pepper in oil on a simmer setting for 15 minutes.
Add broth, water, and bay leaves and bring soup to a boil. Then add cannelloni beans and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Add linguica, corn, kale leaves, paprika, and oregano, and cook for three more minutes before removing from heat.
Add sea salt and pepper to taste, stir in Udo's Oil, and it's ready to serve. Top each bowl with a few fresh oregano leaves.
Approx prep time: 1 hour.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This soup is colorful and packed with nutrition. The capsaicin in the hot peppers enhances circulation and promotes energy metabolism. The higher levels of feel-good endorphins will Wake You Up!
Onions contain antioxidants and are antibiotic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. The quercetin in onions helps to relieve asthma and allergies by blocking anti-inflammatory responses in the airways. Onions are also a great source of calcium.
Meanwhile, crushed or chopped garllic lowers bad cholesterol, prevents blood coagulation, decreases the risk of stomach and colon cancer, and lowers blood pressure.
Sweet potatoes provide vitamin A, potassium, and more quecetin. Beans are perhaps the best source of fiber, helping reduce colon cancer, lower cholsterol, and regulate blood sugar. Beans are also loaded with antioxidants and serve as a healthy source of protein.
KALE SOUP
This particular recipes uses organically grown Lacinato Kale, an heirloom Italian kale of a deep green, but you can use other varieties of kale or napa cabbage. The spicy flavors of jalapenos and linguica, the sweetness of sweet corn and sweet potatoes, and the nuttiness omany organic ingredients as possible. More recipes.
INGREDIENTS
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 bunch fresh kale (leafy part shredded, ribs chopped)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 cups canneloni beans, cooked
2 linguica (all natural, no nitrates), sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels trimmed from cob
1/3 t. paprika
sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh oregano
1/4 cup Udo's Oil 3-6-9 Blend
In a large soup pot, saute chopped kale ribs, garlic, onion, sweet potato, celery, and jalapeno pepper in oil on a simmer setting for 15 minutes.
Add broth, water, and bay leaves and bring soup to a boil. Then add cannelloni beans and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Add linguica, corn, kale leaves, paprika, and oregano, and cook for three more minutes before removing from heat.
Add sea salt and pepper to taste, stir in Udo's Oil, and it's ready to serve. Top each bowl with a few fresh oregano leaves.
Approx prep time: 1 hour.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This soup is colorful and packed with nutrition. The capsaicin in the hot peppers enhances circulation and promotes energy metabolism. The higher levels of feel-good endorphins will Wake You Up!
Onions contain antioxidants and are antibiotic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. The quercetin in onions helps to relieve asthma and allergies by blocking anti-inflammatory responses in the airways. Onions are also a great source of calcium.
Meanwhile, crushed or chopped garllic lowers bad cholesterol, prevents blood coagulation, decreases the risk of stomach and colon cancer, and lowers blood pressure.
Sweet potatoes provide vitamin A, potassium, and more quecetin. Beans are perhaps the best source of fiber, helping reduce colon cancer, lower cholsterol, and regulate blood sugar. Beans are also loaded with antioxidants and serve as a healthy source of protein.
