Here’s another soup recipe that will be here to stay for a very long time, this is so tasty and hearty its a perfect comfort food for those cold winter nights. Besides tasting amazing its even better for your health. I always put extra kale, because kale is the king of greens, it is the most nutritious member of the Brassica family. It is the vegetable that has the highest amount of antioxidants and contains more calcium and iron than any other vegetable. Just one portion of kale, approximately 1/2-1 cup, can give you about a fifth of the daily calcium required for an adult and over 200% of the daily intake of vitamin A. It is also rich in vitamins K, C, E and B6. It is a great source of fiber which is important to keep you fuller longer, great for those of you on diets or vegetarians. As for how to cook kale, there are mixed answers, some cancer studies say that its better to eat it raw, cholesterol studies say that it is better to eat it steamed. I say why not alternate and try it differently every week?
Keep in mind a couple of important steps:
- make sure you are buying organic kale, because kale crops are sprayed with pesticides.
- when choosing, make sure that it is crisp and vibrant in color, and free from browning, yellowing, or have small holes.
- store it in a ziploc bag and remove all the air, do not wash it before, exposure to water encourages spoilage.
- wash it well to remove any surface chemicals.
- make sure to remove the tough stem in the center of the leaves.
- if you are steaming kale, make sure not to steam more than 5 minutes
- if you are having it raw in smoothies have it 1-2 times max per week, it is hard for the digestive system.
- stir fry kale with a little bit of liquid, and just until tender about 3 minutes.
- never overcook kale or you will lose all of its nutritional value
If you are new to kale and find it to be bitter, than but the baby kale, or choose kale with smaller leaves as they have a milder and more tender taste. Try making kale chips by toasting them in some extra virgin olive oil with a bit of salt under the boiler until they are dried out.
Links: Recipe here, read more here, and here