As the ancient Turkish saying goes; “Every leaf of kale you chew adds another stem to your tree of life.” It is no wonder kale is considered one of the healthiest foods! With such a low calorie content and high nutritional value, kale is like no other. One cup of raw kale contains 33 calories, 0.6 grams of fat (from omega-3 fatty acids!), 2.5 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein! Kale is rich in vitamin A and vitamin K. It is also impressive considering that per calorie, it also has more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than milk, and more iron than beef!
Kale is easy to grow (and can be found throughout the season), has endless health benefits, and is super easy to prepare. It is commonly prepared by sauteéing, baking, steaming, boiling, or consumed raw in salads and smoothies.
It has been found that steaming kale leads to both maximum nutrition and flavor, so below I have included a recipe for a simple steamed Mediterranean style kale, as well as baked kale chips for a simple, healthy snack.
Mediterranean Kale
Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 25 mins Yields 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 cups kale, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Place steamer insert into saucepan and fill water to just below bottom of steamer. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Add kale and steam until tender (7-10 minutes). In large bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add in kale and toss until well coated.
Enjoy!
Baked Kale Chips
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 10 min Total time: 20 min Yields 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt (may use different seasoned salts for different flavors!)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove kale leaves from stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and dry kale. Place kale on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt. Bake until the edges of kale are browned (but not burnt). About 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy!