Because as a writer I spend so much time in front of the computer it is important to eat right as well as exercise. I'm working on increasing the exercise with
help from my dogs who love long walks. And t
hough
I eat lots of leafy greens, I had never tried kale until someone made kale
chips for me. I realized I’d been planting purple curly kale in the garden for
its beauty but had never thought of eating it.: ) Intrigued, I read articles
about the vegetable and discovered it was one of the healthiest vegetables available.
According
to Wikipedia and other sites kale, species Brassica
oleracea, contains a wide variety of vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower,
collard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Kale
is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, and C, and is rich in calcium. Kale
is a source of two carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. Kale, as with broccoli,
contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical
believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.
Kale or borecole
(Brassica oleracea Acepha;a Group) is a vegetable with green or
purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered
to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms.
The name borecole most
likely originates from the Dutch boerenkool (farmer's cabbage),
whereas kale bears semblance to the Danish and Swedish kål and to
the German Kohl (a general term for various kinds of cabbage) and
Scottish Gaelic càl. Some varieties can reach a height of six or seven
feet; others are compact and symmetrical and of good quality for eating. Many,
however, are coarse, possess an undesirable coloring, and are unappealing and
indigestible. Most kale plants are either annuals or biennials and are raised
from seeds, which, in size, form, and color, resemble those of the cabbage. In Congo
and in East Africa (Tanzania and Kenya), the plant is referred to by the
generic name of sukuma wiki, which literally translates as "stretch
the week."The term also includes collard greens.
Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common green
vegetables in all of Europe. Curly leafed varieties of cabbage already existed
along with flat leafed varieties in Greece in the fourth century BC. These
forms, which were referred to by the Romans as Sabellian kale, are considered
to be the ancestors of modern kales. Today one may differentiate between
varieties according to the low, intermediate, or high length of the stem, with
varying leaf types. The leaf colors range from light green through green, dark
green and violet-green to violet-brown. Russian kale was introduced into
Canada and then into the U.S. by Russian
traders in the 19th century.
During World War II, the cultivation of kale in the U.K. was encouraged. The
vegetable was easy to grow and provided important nutrients to supplement those
missing from a normal diet because of rationing.
If you would like to know more go to Wikipedia.
Here is a recipe we use at home:
Kale Crunches
I love French fries. I admit it. I know they’re not good
for me. I get it. But…my family came up with a solution, kale crunches. Now I can
eat without guilt and kale is easy to prepare. I get a bowl of the kale crunches
ready quickly and get back to the computer and my writing, or to a movie with my family.
Ingredients
One or more bunches of organic purple curly kale or green kale
(I like the look of the purple kale but like the taste of the green
kale). : )
Salt and pepper
Paprika optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees then wash the Kale and
separate the leaves. Dry with a cheese cloth or paper towels and place them on
a cookie sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with a touch of
Paprika.
Place in the
oven for about ten minutes or until they are crisp but not brown. They can cook quickly so
keep a close eye on them. If you make more than one bunch you may need more
time.
If you are
concerned about the kale sticking to your cookie sheet use a low fat cooking
spray like Pam.
By the way, you could substitute Brussels sprouts instead of Kale for a
different taste and instead of paprika sprinkle on a bit of Parmesan cheese
when the sprouts are out of the oven but still warm. That’s good too.
As luck would have it kale is easy to grow even in a city where the
buildings are tall, and the yards don’t have as much sun as gardeners would
like.
If you're interested, I discovered there are many kale
cookbooks. Here are a couple I found on Amazon.
On the way to the supermarket,
you’ve got a grocery list that you (generally) stick to. If you’re making
salads or dinner, there is definitely going to be some green vegetables on the
plate. When buying these leafy green vegetables, your mind probably first jumps
to such foods as cabbage, lettuce, or even spinach. Not many people tend to
think of kale.
Kale is a leafy green vegetable just like cabbage and lettuce, but kale is also
distinct in looks, taste, nutritional value, and more.
Kale--one of the most nutrient-dense greens in
existence--has been growing for thousands of years without any fuss. Yet,
despite the fact that kale is lauded as a miracle food, and most people know
that they should be eating it, many don't know how to make it taste good.
Thanks for stopping by. To comment please click on comment. Do you have a favorite kale recipe or what do you do to keep fit? Comments seem to works best if you use a Google ID. Thanks, Please share and join my circle.
Does love always deserve a second chance?
Lizette Henry’s life is very calm and
predictable until the morning she wakes up, looks in the mirror and doesn’t
recognize herself. Not only is her face different, but there seem to be holes
in her memory that cause excruciating pain as she tries to remember. Why on
earth would she be worried about electronic listening devices or cell phone
tracking? On the other end of the tracking and eavesdropping devices in
Lizette’s house, a mysterious man named Xavier is listening as Lizette’s memories
begin to resurface. For Xavier, this is the signal that Lizette will soon be in
terrible danger — there is another party listening in, and their response will
be to send assassins! (BALLANTINE 2013) Four and half stars, Hot 
