Kale It What You Want

I'm sure you've all heard of kale, it's one of those new trendy vegetables. Some people are unsure of its benefits, and don't find big leafy greens very tasty. Kale is so nutritious and you can have it in many different ways without having that bitter taste. Before we get into recipes let's talk about its benefits:

Antioxidant Properties
Kale has high concentrations of Vitamin A,K and C, all of which are excellent antioxidants and have a variety of uses.
          Vitamin A- growth and development, maintenance of the immune system, and good vision
          Vitamin K- reduce risk of cancer, modifies proteins required for blood coagulation, and in the bone and other tissue
          Vitamin C- essential nutrient in all humans, required for many metabolic processes in the human body

Other Benefits
-Kale is rich in many minerals such as copper, potassium, manganese, phosphorus and iron.
-Lowers blood cholesterol levels which reduces risks of heart disease
       
 Don't forget though, too much of something isn't good for you either! People taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) like Warfarin should avoid eating kale because of the high levels of Vitamin K. It also contains naturally occurring substances that can cause an interference in calcium absorption, so avoid eating high amounts of dairy at the same time as Kale.

Despite the potential and rare toxicities of Kale, overall it is an extremely healthy vegetable that everyone should try and include in their diet! My favourite way to eat Kale is as Kale chips. It's very simple and takes about 15-20 mins. Here's my sister's recipe that I use!

recipe for one bundle of kale
Step 1: Chop up Kale (you can even use the ends)
Step 2: Coat kale in olive oil
Step 3: Add 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
Step 4: Add salt and pepper
Step 5 (optional): add cayenne pepper, crushed chillie flakes or any other seasoning's you wish to add
Step 6: Bake in oven for 15-20 mins at 350 F

Voila!

They may not look the greatest but I promise they are delicious!

Other great ways to include kale into your diet:
-add them into fruit smoothies (you can't even taste the kale, because the fruits overpower it!)
-add into soup along with some swiss chard
-mix chopped pieces into ground meat when making home made meatballs or burgers (recipe soon to come)

We hope after reading this that you give kale a try and enjoy it! Let us know how you incorporated kale into your diet!