On the same topic of superfoods, this O-So-Good, often overlooked leafy green is a great addition to your daily diet!! Many of my patients haven’t even heard of this kale and are always pleasantly surprised when trying it out for the first time. Part of the Brassicae family, kale contains number of nutrients that provide many health benefits.

Kale contains many different kinds of antioxidants such as flavonoids and carotenoids, which act on the body as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agents. This means that kale can help prevent chronic disease that are stemmed by inflammation and oxidation, such as cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases, joint and bone disorders, chronic lung problems and last but NOT LEAST cancer.

Of all the good stuff found in kale, it is most rich in Vitamin K, vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Manganese.

Vitamin K is an important vitamin for decreasing inflammation in the body, helping with our blood clotting processes and also helps keep our bones and hair strong.

Vitamin A is great for maintaining skin, aids in the absorption of vitamin D and is a wonderful antioxidant.

Vitamin C has so many great properties I don’t even know where to begin. Most importantly vitamin C keeps our immune system and adrenal glands strong, is a powerful antioxidant, maintains bone, collagen and hair structure and helps us absorb other minerals such as iron.

Manganese is important in bone and hair structure, lowering cholesterol, and keeping blood sugars in balance

Kale is also rich in fibre, which helps lower cholesterol by binding excess fat and bile acids (made from cholesterol) and allowing them to be excreted through our bowel movements. This causes our bodies to replace the bile acids by drawing on our own stores of cholesterol to re-form the bile acids.

As you can see, Kale contains a number of nutrients, many that overlap in function, that work together to strengthen our body.

It is recommended that we consume 1 serving of leafy greens at LEAST 2-3 times a week ( 1 serving adds up to 1 ½ cups of kale). I recommend that we get 1 serving of leafy greens everyday. Along with Kale, leafy greens also include spinach, broccoli, collard greens, brussel sprouts and cabbage, to name a few.

Note: if you have LOW THYROID FUNCTION, or a family history of low thyroid, then these leafy greens from the Brassicae family (with the exception of spinach, not Brassicae) should not be eaten raw due  to their inhibiting effects on the thyroid.  To avoid this, lightly steam these in order to get your daily serving, without compromising thyroid function.

Here are a couple of recipes I found to be extremely delicious and easy to make.

Baked Kale Chips – perfect for snacks!
Ingredients:
1 bunch of Kale (curly works best)
1 tbsp of olive oil*
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika for some heat

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees
2. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper
3. Rip the kale leaves off the steam and tear in to bite-sized pieces
4. Wash and dry kale thoroughly – make sure kale is dry by using a salad spinner and patting with paper towel
5. In a large mixing bowl – add dry kale leaves and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil and toss until leaves are coated
6. Add salt
7. Place on parchment paper and bake until kale is crispy but not burnt (about 12-15 mins) – if the leaves are dark green we’re good but if they are brown then they have been overcooked
8. Add garlic and paprika and let cool – enjoy!

Note heating olive oil is not generally recommended so using coconut oil is another option. This adds a slightly different flavour but it’s great for using different seasonings like curry powder!

Blanched Kale Salad with Pomagranate and Green Apple Dressing (from the recipe index at www.nourishingmeals.com)
Ingredients:

Salad:
2 bunches of kale, chopped
1 pomegranate, arils removed
toasted sunflower seeds with coconut aminos
cooked salmon

Green Apple Salad Dressing:
1 medium green apple (Granny Smith)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
Herbamare or sea salt to taste

Instructions:
1. To make the salad, fill an 8-quart stock pot with filtered water about 3/4 full. Bring to a rapid boil. Quickly add all of the kale, pushing it down with a large spoon. Blanch it for about 60 seconds, or until bright green and tender. Pour kale and boiling water through a colander set in your sink and run icy cold water over the kale immediately to stop it from cooking. You can also put the kale into a bowl of ice water then strain it. Be sure to gently squeeze any excess water out.

2. Place desired amount of kale onto each plate, top with cooked salmon, pomegranate arils, and toasted sunflower seeds. Store remaining kale in the fridge in a sealed glass container. Use the extra for more salads or toss it into an egg or tofu scramble, burritos, soup, you name it!

3.To make the dressing, place all ingredients for dressing into a blender and blend about 60 seconds until smooth and creamy. Taste and add a little salt, blend again. Drizzle dressing over each salad. Store in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to a week