Isn’t it amazing how the cheapest and easiest of vegetables to grow can climb the ladder of superfoods and be listed in the top ten in the world!
I refer of course to the humble Kale or curly Kale as some of you might know it as.
It was fed to sheep and cattle when pastures where not as green as they should have been and now available in all supermarkets, artisan markets and every farm shop too for us humans to consume !
According to research and well informed sources Kale really is a superfood. If you’ve been watching the channel 4 TV show all about superfoods you will have seen them discuss and investigate superfoods and wether or not they are good for you , last weeks show was about eating bugs and creepy crawleys!
I was amazed that some insects contain up to 70% protein , much more than meat , chicken , soya or fish , I must try and get some to cook !!
by chef Martin Anderson
Anyway crack to kale , One portion of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat.
It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium .
Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef , Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.
Kale is high in vitamin K which can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and blood clotting , also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Kale is full of essential antioxidants such as carotenoids and flavonoids which help protect against various cancers.
One medium bunch of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders .
Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels. Kale is high in vitamin A which is great for your eye sight , your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers research has shown . It is high in vitamin C this is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.
Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility and finally Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxing your body and keeping your liver healthy.
Wow what a super food!
At Sonder we feature kale on a regular basis , we get ours from Ballyholey Farm near raphoe , freshly harvested & delivered straight away , ye can see the look of disgust on the sheep & cattle’s faces as john drives past them with another batch for us , he’s some farmer john I’d say he nearly gets up as early as me these days 🙂 , it’s great to deal directly with the farmer and get the freshest of produce , he provides us with our baked potatoes , new queens for our potato salad and this week we got a haul of fresh picked tomatoes too , so tasty and colourful .
Now when you get your kale I recommend eating it raw , cooked kale loses a lot of its nutrients , however it can be steamed , boiled , shredded for stir-frys or even used as a stuffing mix if you find it difficult to eat raw .
The best way to prepare it is to trim out the centre stalk , wash it well with clean water , wrap it up in a clean towel and squeeze it gently , doing this allows the towel to soak up the excess liquid , if you have one of those old fashioned lettuce spinners you can use that too to dry it .
Simply shred the kale with a sharp knife and then use as required .
This week we massaged wasabi paste into the kale and left it marinate for an hour , the acid in the wasabi lightly softens the kale making it easier to eat and digest , you may also add grated Parmesan cheese and chopped mixed nuts to give a tangy crunchier texture to the kale .
When frying kale add it at the last minute to your stir fries so that it keeps its volume and texture.
Kale may also be juiced but personally I find its a lot of work for such a small amount of juice so I prefer to make smoothies from it .
So take a spin to your local market , farm shop or supermarket and get your chops around some kale and give it a try , you’ll make farmer john and many more happy , you’ll feel better , look better and you’ll be supporting local growers too .
I didn’t receive one single recipe last week from you so I ate the dessert myself !
If you have a recipe you love then send them to me and I’ll pick one to feature in my article and I’ll treat the sender to a free dessert in Sonder sometime.
Send your recipes to
Crestmediapartners@gmail.com .
Thank you
Chef Martin anderson .
Here is a favourite smoothie recipe of mine .
Kale , almond & coriander smoothie
You will need .
3 medium bananas , peeled ! Seriously you do have to peel them !
3 large leaves of kale , stalks removed .
300mls of almond milk
1/4 sliced cucumber , skin on with the seeds .
1/2 pint of ice cubes
2 drops vanilla extract
1 bunch of coriander
Fire the lot into a blender and blitz the life out of it .
Drink and be healed from the inside out !
