Daily Ingredient: Kale

Kingly Kale.

Kale is ’Queen of the Greens’ or ‘King Kale’, reigning over the vegetable patch, with its sturdy build and nutrient packed diplomacy. Certainly even the stature of some kale varieties is regal- reaching upwards of 6 or 7 feet.

Kale [Brassica oleracea] is a form of cabbage-in the family amongst broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens and brussels sprouts. Popular throughout Europe before the Middle Ages, Kale has been used for good nutrition and in tasteful recipes for centuries. Sometimes kale is referred to as ‘borecole’, stemming from the Dutch language meaning ‘Farmer’s Cabbage’. Kale brings us an Earthy flavor, which can easily be paired and brought alive with more intense ingredients and seasonings.A descendant of wild cabbage, Kale is thought to have originated in Asia Minor and brought to Europe by Celtic wanderers around 600 BC. Kale was even grown by the ancient Greeks.

Mainly cultivated in colder climates, Kale is strong enough to handle a frost. And grows easily in such areas, where it remains cool most of the year. For this reason, Kale was grown predominantly throughout Europe. A light frost will even produce sweeter kale leaves. The English brought Kale to America during the 17th century, where it has been grown heartily, with a most recent surge in popularity/production due to all the current studies around its many health promoting qualities.

Kale has beautiful leaves, either a green or purple color. Varieties include Curly Leaved (Scots Kale), Plain Leafed, Rape Kale, Leaf and Spear (a cross between Plain & Curly) and Cavolo Nero (also known as black cabbage, Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan Kale, Lacinato and dinosaur Kale). Ornamental Kale is edible, but also has been grown as a decorative element for its interior rosette of brilliant lavender, violet, pink or white. Kale’s flavors and textures have a wide range. There is ruffled pungent & peppery kale [Curly], mellow and tender leaved [Ornamental or Salad Savoy] and sweeter dark bluish leafed [Dinosaur]. This past Summer I fell head over heels for Lacinato Kale- just for its deeply hued embossed leaves and delicate but ‘truely green’ taste. I made lots of Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram’s “Holy Grale” juice {Grapes + Kale} recipe, when on my 76 day juice feast. It quickly became one of my favorites. Otherwise I’m pretty much a newbie to Kale…only seeing it as the thick stalky thing curly garnish on Denny’s or Friendly’s dishes, like something “The Land Before Time” as I was growing up. Then around my senior year of college, I found Brad’s Raw Chips at Whole Foods and got totally hooked. Kale is in.

Kale is prepared in a variety of ways across the world. In Northeastern Germany [around towns like Bremen, Oldenburg and Hannover) there are even tours ["Kohlfahrten"] held between October and February, all centered around this hearty green. And also a yearly ‘Kale Festival’, includes naming a “Kale King” or “Kale Queen”. One of the best seasons for harvesting Kale is the Fall, as the weather is cool enough for it retain a robust sweet flavor. There are many varieties available at grocery stores and farmer’s markets…explore and find which one appeals to you most. As the beautiful and free-spirited Dara Dubinet says, “Get your greens on!”.

Kale is fresh when firm, with moist hearty stems. Its color should be rich and its leaves free of holes. To store properly place in a plastic storage bag (removing as much air as you can), and keep in a cool fridge for up to 5 days. Wash upon use, and not before storing, as the later would produce spoilage.

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Nutritional Benefits of KALE….one of the World’s Healthiest Foods

If as a vegan, you’ve ever been confronted with the question “But where do you get your protein?”. The answer can simple be eating lots of dark leafy greens!! [soaked nuts/seeds contain amino acids which create muscles too!). Though many people don't connect that a cow or other animal that they may go to for a food "protein" source, actually gets its own muscles and strength from plant sources [ie "grass-fed"] . And if we did the same, we’d get healthy muscles without gaining possible health ailments from ingesting animal proteins. For a great article, most apropos during World Vegan Month, read 7 Reasons Kale is The New Beef by Jill Ettinger of Organic Authority.

Kale is a beneficial source of Beta Carotene/Carotenoids, Vitamins A, B6, C & K, Manganese, Copper, Potassium, Tryptophan, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. And most notably a very rich source of Calcium, which is great for everyone, but especially for vegans and raw foodies looking to source it in an all plant-based diet. Kale is very alkalizing, which means it will not only give your body a dose of calcium- but also in a form which will not contribute to an acid state in the body (the very thing which would cause further bone loss). The Iron (per calorie, contains more than beef!) in Kale reduces ones odds for developing anemia, helping carry oxygen rich blood throughout the body. Iron helps produce hemoglobin [for red blood cells] & myoglobin [for protein].

Kale also contains Sulforaphane, a powerful anti-cancer agent. As I recently learned while placing kale in a Ziploc freezer bag and opening later on… the green will give off this “sulfur” smelling compound, much like its cousins Brocolli or Cabbage.

Kale has Indole-3-Carbinol [boosts DNA repair in cells]. Like most greens, kale is high in Fiber, providing you with an excellent source of daily roughage (good for colon health, and keeping things moving). Also is a smaller, though helpful source of: Magnesium, Vitamin E, Omega 3 Fats, Vitamins B1- B2 & B3, Protein, Folate and Phosphorus.

Kale promotes reduction of cholesterol, as well as cancer risk lowering-benefits. The Flavonoids in kale work as both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agents. Kale detoxifies our bodies on a cellular level. In with the good… and out with the bad. It’s awesome how one vegetable/green can give Vegans a great amount of Iron, Calcium and Protein. Though it’s best to rotate your use of greens (and all raw foods)to create a variety and avoid deficiencies by supplying your body a wide spectrum of nutrients/colors.

As you can see, Kale is a Nutritional Powerhouse!

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5 CULINARY USES FOR KALE- for hippies & hipsters alike.

Kale pairs well with the flavors of apple, balsamic vinegar, almond, red pepper flakes, walnut, pine nuts, tamari, olives/olive oil, lemon, Asian style dressing, miso, [blood] orange, garlic, sea salt, ginger, [bell] peppers andonion.

#1 Sip Up a Sassy Smoothie

Green smoothies may not look appealing to everyone, I’ve even heard to some they look like ”swamp water”. Personally I adore their earthy Kryptonite-like eminence. And trust me, the greens when matched with the right amount of fruit/sweetness, the green flavor is completely masked. Thus you get to drink super healthy, without feeling as if you’re drinking a salad. So Get your green mustache on!

You might even try blending some Raw Kale Powder into your smoothies, for a daily dose some anti-oxidant protection and heart-chakra balancing goodness. Eclectic Institute makes freeze-dried Kale POW-der for use as an all-natural dietary supplement [Available at The Vitamin Shoppe].

Nutritious & Delicious Mango Kale Smoothie * from SB & GB [sweet beat & green bean]

* raw foodies, replace vanilla soy milk with homemade raw vanilla almond or other favorite nut mylk.

Delicious Raw Fruity Kale Smoothie by Dara Dubinet

Killer Kale Smoothie from The Holy Kale

Kale Banana Mango Smoothie from Raw Food for Real People by Ron Rotondi, via The Daily Green

“Pistachio Ice Cream” Kale Shake from Healthy Blender Recipes

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#2 Just Juice It

Get a Juicy Green Aura, fo’ shizzle! Kale juice is a great alternative nutritionally speaking to milk, as it’s high in calcium. It’s also highly alkalizing and will jumpstart your detox efforts. In Japan kale juice [known as Aojiru] is a popular dietary supplement.

At Juice Bars [ such as the one part of One Lucky Duck in NYC] you can order the “Mean Greens” or other green juice combos, which incorporate Kale. Take advantage of the abundant Autumnal produce, and use organic apples in your juice combinations- Kale, Apple [& Ginger, optional] is a wonderful one.

Fresh Kale Juice from Diana Takes A Bite

Holy “Grale” Juice by Kristina at Fully Raw

3 Kale Juice Recipes We Love [Root for Mint, The Kale Mary, Spicy-Tart Kale Limeade by Maggie Hoffmann, via Serious Eats

Green Lemonade - A Healthy Green Tonic by Sandy Henson

Dr. Oz's Pineapple-Kale Juice * via Oprah

*omit artichoke hearts, or use raw ones, if following a 100% raw vegan diet

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#3 Soup

Fall is the perfect time for soup. Spice up your life with some ginger, peppery, and warming recipes. Check out the gorgeous green soups below.

Raw Creamy Kale Soup by Dara Dubinet

Avocado Curry Love Soup (Kale Ginger Soup) by Rawsheed, The Blissful Chef

Alkalizing Kale Soup from SeventhEraProduction

Red Pepper & Kale Soup from Dr. Patel's Diet

Apple-Kale Soup from Gone Raw

Creamy & Spicy Kale Soup from Brigitte's Naturally Alive

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#4 Salad & Slaw

I recently put together a creative and delicious Autumn Kale Salad: using purslane, fresh oregano leaves, halved red grapes, minced serrano pepper, orange juice, pomegranate seeds, chopped green apple, a few cauliflower florets, tiny sprinkling of pine nuts and cubed avocado, over massaged kale.

Remember, when you "Massage the Kale" it breaks down its fiberous nature, making for easier digestion and more palatable/softer chewing. What a funny thing, giving your food a rub down- like its relaxing at the spa... but using your hands to make food, and creating it in a positive atmosphere out of love, with completely enhance its flavor and bring to it an even higher vibration.

Queen of Greens Raw Kale Salad by Dara Dubinet

Kale Salad with Carrots, Apples, Raisins & a Creamy Curry Dressing from Choosing Raw

Raw Kale Salad by Dara Dubinet

Raw Kale Salad from Healthier Steps

Raw Kale Avocado Salad from Happy Foody

Weekend Glow Kale Salad from Oh She Glows

Asian Kale Salad with Red Pepper & Ginger Dressing, Raw Kale-Apple- Avocado Salad with Sweet + Spicy Raw Balsamic Dressing & Raw Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Miso Dressing from COOKIE + Kate

Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage & Carrots from Whole Living

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#5 All That... & A Bag of Chips [Kids Love Kale]

Kale chips as snacks have become the rage and trend lately. Anne Hathaway playfully noted that she was ”living on kale and dust” in preparation for the ever snug Cat Woman suit she donned in The Dark Knight Rises. Get on board the craze, and start noticing the health benefits of kale in your fitness and energy levels. Whip up some chips for yourself and friends, using a dehydrator and one of the simple recipes below:

Raw Cheesy Kale Chips/Final Result by Dara Dubinet

Cheesy Kale Chips from Pride & Vegudice

Cheesy Kale Chips from The Delicious Revolution

Garlic -Herb Raw Kale Chips from Recipes to Nourish

Chocolate Kale Chips by Russell James

Though there are many raw kale brands on the market, these are two that stand out in my mind, from what I’ve tried:

Brad’s Raw Foods makes Kale Chips as ‘leafy kale’ [Vampire Killer, Naked, Nasty Hot, Natural Nacho-Nut Free*] or ‘chip’ [Sun-Dried Tomato, Red Bell Pepper, Hot Red Bell Pepper, Sun-Dried Tomato, Hot Kale, Beet, Indian, Sweet Potato, Cheddar] varieties $6.99 3 oz.

Kaia {soon to be Kaya) Kale Chips (in classic flavors like BBQ, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Chili Lime…my fave!) $4.99 2.2 oz.

Other include chips by-

Alive & Radiant Kale Krunch {Cheezy Chipotle, Tarragon Dijon, The Original Quite Cheesy, Southwest Ranch, Spirulina Orange Creamsicle, Chockalet Chip, Hibiscus & Pink Peppercorn, Perfectly Plain} $5.99 2.2 oz.

Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips {Kool Ranch, Bombay Curry, Zesty Nacho, Texas BBQ & Mango Habanero} $6.60 2 oz.

Lydia’s Organics Kale Krunchies { Mega Green, Herbs de Provence, Sassy Spice} $7.49 3 oz.

ChocolaTree Kale Chips {Cheddar, Chipotle, Rosemary} $6.11 1.5 oz. , $9.64 3 oz.

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#6 Kale Dips & Dressings

Simply blend some kale into your favorite raw dip, spread or pate- for a healthy dose of green infusion. Also you can spread this dip into a kale wrap (with sprouts, veggies, salsa, whatever else you may be craving), for a satisfying lunch or dinner recipe.

For a green infused dressing, just pick a favorite raw dressing recipe (preferably a creamier, and less liquid vinegar type one)…and blend in a bit of freshly washed kale.

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#7 Kale Bread & Wraps

Instead of the usual Romaine or Chard roll ups, use Kale as a holder for your wraps sandwich/wrap ideas. Flat leaf, not curly Kale, will even make for great raw sushi. Use an Almond & Kale Filling, in either the Lacinato kale leaves or nori sheets, roll with veggies and enjoy!

Kale-Hemp-Onion Bread from Raw Sierra

Purple Kale Wraps with Almond Chickpea Filling from Choosing Raw

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#8 Kale Noodles & Sauces/Pesto

Another recent experimentation of mine was Lacinato Kale Ribbons [Chiffonade] with Raw Marinara {cherry tomatoes- black pepper- sea salt- water- onion- lemon juice- basil, blended} with a few cauliflower florets, pine nuts, chopped red bell pepper & cubed avocado. Garnished with fresh Basil.

For a greener raw Marinara- blend in a washed kale leaf or 2 (Lacinato kale is smoother and works well).

Almond Butter Kelp & Kale Noodles or Simple Dairy-Free Zucchini Noodle & Kale Alfredo from YumUniverse

Kale Noodles with Chili-Corn-Basil Sauce from RawFoodForKids

Raw Kale and Walnut Pesto * from Clean & Delicious or Kale Pesto * from Eat. Sleep. Cuddle.

*can omit dairy cheese, and replace with Nutritional Yeast/ChocolaTree’s Vegan Crumbles/ Parma! for raw vegans/foodies.

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OTHER PRACTICAL USES FOR KALE

For Wearing, some Kale Pride:

visit http://www.eatmorekale.com/ for kale T -Shirts , there’s also an awesome ‘Only Kale Can Save Us Now T-Shirt‘ from The Herbivore Clothing Company+

and for the ladies a “Kale in Comparison” Dress from ModCloth

For Decor: Learn how to make a festive Flowering Kale centerpiece for the upcoming holidays, a perfect use of in season materials. Or try crafting this Thanksgiving Arrangement from Martha Stewart. Use ornamental kales in your favorite fall centerpieces and arrangements.

For Nails: Not only eating/drinking kale with improve the strength and health of your nails, but you can also get inspired by the deep rich colors of this vegetable. Choose an organic natural (non-toxic, soy based) nail polish such as from Karma Organic - in a kale hue such as their Green Velvet or Royal Flush.

For Skin/Beauty: Kale may just be part of the fountain of youth!! The vegetable’s high nutrient content encourages blemish free skin, and cell reproduction (for youthfulness and suppleness). Juice with kale with help hydrate the skin, especially good as we head into the winter months when lots of people are indoors with heaters on that dry us out. *Make a wonderful eco chic face brightener by blending organic washed kale [+ optional: other greens], with raw honey and ground almond.

Kale Naturals is a naturally derived skin care & grooming collection for men (though their products don’t contain kale).

For ‘Releasing’ Weight: Because kale is high in fiber and low in calories, with a wide array of nutrients – it will help one to feel fuller longer and nourished from the inside out.

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The Holy Kale is a beautiful and informative site from Lauren, a certified nutritionist, who is inspiring others on a quest for health with ideas for mind-body and soul.

Hope November finds you warm and well. With anticipation and joy for the upcoming holidays, time spent with family and friends. And all the many beautiful traditions this time of year brings.

Joy & Whole HEARTiness,

GreenAura

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”