All about Kale + a recipe!

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Hello everybody and welcome back to the blog! This week is all about kale and how to get the most out of this prehistoric looking veg. I’ve decided to include a little background on how it became the veg du jour as well as some tips for preparation so that you can reap all of the lovely benefits it has to offer. 

First, a few nuggets of kale trivia:

  1. Kale dates back to over 2,000 years ago around the time of Ancient Greek civilizations. It was cultivated and then boiled and used as a cure for drunkenness [1]. 

  2. Kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are all the same species of plant and are members of the Brassica oleracea.[2]. 

  3. There are many different varieties of kale: common curly kale, lacinto (dinosaur) kale, ornamental, red Russian, Chinese kale, Siberian kale and redbor kale. It can vary is color and shade, though generally speaking, the darker the variety, the more antioxidants and minerals it has [2].

  4. Kale is packed with protein (4.3g per 100g), calcium (15% RDA per 100g), iron, Vitamin A (199% RDA per 100g), fiber, and anti-cancerous properties. It also has more Vitamin C (200% RDA per 100g) than any other leafy green [3]. 

Now that we know a bit more about this cruciferous veg, let’s break down how to prepare it so that you can start enjoying it ASAP. First, for the recipe copied down below, as well as any recipe involving raw kale, it’s important to thoroughly massage it before serving. Kale is very fibrous and has firm cell walls so massaging it helps to break down some of those walls which makes it easier for our tummies to digest :) 

Second, make sure that you always remove the stems and any yellow or brown parts. You should use only the pieces which are crisp and bright. 

Lastly, don’t be afraid to use oil and spices to dress it up. If you’re using kale in your salad, massage it with coconut or olive oil and add in your favorite spices (mine are chili powder, garlic powder and salt) to give it a little boost of flavor. The same holds true for making kale chips or for throwing it into a soup- let your taste buds guide you :) 

So, without further ado, let’s dive into one of my new favorite recipes with kale and one that I think could easily make its way into your home as well. 

Kale Caesar Salad with roasted Hazelnuts and Parmesan

This scrumptious salad is actually the creation of the oh so talented Jamie Oliver. It’s one of the many gems in his new book 5 Ingredients and it’s beyond easy to make so I thought it would be perfect to include here. 

Unfortunately, buttermilk is not very common in the Czech Republic (or I haven’t been able to find it yet) so I subbed traditional kefir* and it still tasted great. This means that as the salad is not cooked (heat destroys the natural bacteria found in kefir as well as many of the nutrients in kale), you get all of the benefits of the kale and kefir combined. Boom! So, I give you a healthy, yet entirely delicious, kale caesar salad :) 

Ingredients:

      • 20g blanched hazelnuts

      • 200g mixed-color kale, de-stemmed

      • 60 ml buttermilk (*or kefir if you’d like)

      • 30g Parmesan cheese

      • 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Dry roast the hazelnuts in a pan over medium high heat until lightly toasted. Once golden brown, remove from the heat and gently crush into halves and smaller pieces. 

2. Tear off and discard any tough kale stalks, then roll up the leaves and slice super finely, putting them into a large bowl as you go. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the buttermilk (or kefir) and half the nuts. 

3. Finely grate in half the parmesan and all the lemon zest, then squeeze in half the juice. Scrunch and massage the kale to soften it. Taste and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, adding extra lemon juice if you like.

4. Plate up, finely grate over the remaining Parmesan and scatter over the rest of the hazelnuts, then drizzle with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. 

So what do you all think of this humble green? Are you already in the kale camp or does it completely repel you? If you are the latter, give the recipe above a try and then let me know if you’ve been converted :)

Do you all have any recipes of your own that use kale? I’d love to try them out so please share down below or send me a message on Instagram. 

Until next week!

xoxo,

Alexandra 

Sources: 

  1. Simnett, Derek, director. Kale Is Amazing & Why YOU Should Eat It (BONUS RECIPE!). Youtube, 27 Mar. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-cuQhr4IpQ 

  2. Kavanagh, Una. “Food For Thought: A Short History of Kale.” Her, Her, 18 Dec. 2014, www.her.ie/life/food-for-thought-a-short-history-of-kale-116644 

  3. Sowder, Amy. “Ultimate Guide to Different Types of Kale and How to Use Them.” Chowhound, 11 Jan. 2019, www.chowhound.com/food-news/177634/ultimate-guide-to-the-different-kale-types-and-how-to-use-them/