Exploring recipes, local restaurants, businesses, farms and fun places in and around Atlanta, GA that promote good wholesome food AND that make a gluten intolerant / plant based eater, a meat-eater and two young girls with ever evolving taste HAPPY.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Good morning kale!


Kale
Kale loaded with amazing nutrients for your body.  It is very low calorie and low fat but very nutrient dense.  Here are some of the nutrients kale will provide your body:

vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin B6, folic acid, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, manganese, copper, and  the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid). In addition to the carotenoid beta-carotene, kale contains other very important carotenoid molecules called lutein and zeaxanthin (both necessary for eye health) and numerous other.

Wow!  What a cup of kale can provide your body.  So, how to incorporate this nutrient powerhouse into our diet?  I chop up kale with other lettuces in my salad, I put some in my smoothies, there are numerous kale salad recipes out there, or just make easy kale chips:

Spray a baking sheet (Lightly) with olive oil
take the stems off kale and break apart, lay flat on sheet
Spray oil lightly on top of kale, sprinkle your favorite seasonings - be creative
Bake at 375 for 10 or so minutes - I continually check on my kale through this process, it is very easy to over cook it

I used sea salt and nutritional yeast.  What is nutritional yeast??  One of the few sources of B-12 that vegans can consume without taking a supplement.  Instead of reinventing the wheel - please read this link on What the Heck is Nutritional Yeast!!!