Why is everybody so "gaga" over kale?

2

Replies

  • DanaeMonique
    DanaeMonique Posts: 41 Member
    I LOVE kale in my smoothies, and I use my dehydrator with a little olive oil and spices for kale chips. Did I mention that I LOVE it in smoothies? :)

    I put spinach in my smoothies but I understand Kale is a bit tougher. Does it blend up nicely? Does it totally affect the flavor of the smoothie?

    I use Kale and Spinach in my smoothies, last night I made a smoothie with just the kale, and almond milk, frozen mango and strawerries, a banan and creamy almond better, let me tell you it was DELICIOUS!!
  • JustPeachy044
    JustPeachy044 Posts: 770 Member
    I sometimes sautee it with a little olive oil and salt, then mix in my egg whites in the morning. The oil and salt soften it and it loses its toughness. Great as chips too. If I put it in a salad, I tear it in VERY small pieces and use just a small amount.

    As others have posted, it's a nutritional powerhouse...a ton of bang for the calorie buck. It just takes some getting used to...if you try to eat it plain/raw, you will most likely hate it, as it is tough and a bit bitter...
  • psych107
    psych107 Posts: 5
    To me it tastes like broccoli with a more bitter after-taste.
  • StaticEntropy
    StaticEntropy Posts: 224 Member
    kale chips are delicious and really do taste like potato chips to me

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  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    ooh! i know a quote about kale...

    "if God wanted us to eat it, God wouldn't have made it taste like *kitten*." - William Shakespeare, 1564-1616

    Thou art right!
  • dlionsmane
    dlionsmane Posts: 674 Member
    Sautéed with almonds and butter, little garlic, lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste! Yum

    Kale Chips, EVOO, and season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder or other seasonings like curry, etc and toss together - then toss in the oven - Yum!

    I use a food processor and chop up the kale into bite sizes and mix in with my ground turkey when making meatball and burgers. It just adds something to it that is YUM!

    Turkey Meatball, Barley and Kale soup (I make) YUM!!

    So yeah love Kale.. lol
  • lwagnitz
    lwagnitz Posts: 1,321 Member
    "One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

    Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

    Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

    Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw."





    I personally eat it because I like it. Haven't tried kale chips, but I've eaten it raw and steamed.
  • casseymarsh
    casseymarsh Posts: 3
    Kale is a major superfood with more vitamins/minerals/antioxidents than most foods...and it helps to clean you out. I do not really like the taste and texture of raw kale but I make kale chips all the time and they are tasty. I break the kale appart in pieces and wash and dry, then toss with balsamic and bake at 200 degrees for a good 35+ min, until crispy but not burnt, then toss with salt. I find this low heat and more time works best at keeping the kale from burning onto the pan. I have also been experimenting with other recieps like balsamic and honey; spicy mustard and honey...etc. All very good because you can flavor them however you want and they are a great snack food. Hope you enjoy.
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
    I just started making this super yummy salad:

    Kale
    broccoli
    red cabbage
    chicken
    almonds
    poppyseed dressing
    blue cheese

    I don't measure anything so I can't give you amounts but man it's good.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    ooh! i know a quote about kale...

    "if God wanted us to eat it, God wouldn't have made it taste like *kitten*." - William Shakespeare, 1564-1616

    Thou art right!

    i think he was. i took the liberty of translating it from olde english.
  • cleotherio
    cleotherio Posts: 712 Member
    I recently found a bagged mix of spinach and baby kale. It was very mild tasting and good in a salad and blended well in my smoothies. I've had a problem blending regular grown-up kale in my blender. I have a decent Kitchenaid blender, and I've found it's the only thing that doesn't blend smooth. Spinach is fine, kale not so much. If I cook it, I often use it in the place of spinach in recipes. It's a little tougher and has to be cooked a little bit longer.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    I remember when Chipotle spice was in. And then Acai berries. And then Avocado was the new big thing. Kale might just be one of those 'health food' trends.
  • Candi_land
    Candi_land Posts: 1,311 Member
    If you go outside near a patch of grass, preferably somewhere dirt is visible and get down on all fours to take a taste it's pretty much like kale.

    Much cheaper too. :tongue:
  • Yukongil
    Yukongil Posts: 166 Member
    it's all about prep. I love to saute it, just some olive oil and garlic in a pan let it get warm, throw in your kale, stir to get the leaves coated, pour in chicken stock, cover, lower heat and reduce, once all the stock has reduced and the kale is wilted (about 10 minutes I find), add salt n' peppa, leave out spinderella unless you want to get funky, add red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar, give a quick stir and enjoy. (also add some bacon to really kick it up, but that does tend to up the fat)

    My wife who HATES kale, loves this dish.
  • ironmonkeystyle
    ironmonkeystyle Posts: 834 Member
    sauteed with stir fry, also have made home made kale chips--
    toss with olive oil, cayenne pepper, sea salt and garlic salt.
    bake at 450 for like 10-15 minutes or until the kale are crispy.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    does anyone else find it funny that every proponent of kale is describing a way to eat it while completely masking the taste?

    :huh:

    there is something wrong with that... can't quite put my finger on it...

    :laugh: :laugh:
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    I remember when Chipotle spice was in. And then Acai berries. And then Avocado was the new big thing. Kale might just be one of those 'health food' trends.

    Ding Ding Ding
  • torie079
    torie079 Posts: 179 Member
    I put it in my scrambled eggs and its delicious... I also add it to protein smoothies with peaches and strawberries... Add it to soups.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
    I remember when Chipotle spice was in. And then Acai berries. And then Avocado was the new big thing. Kale might just be one of those 'health food' trends.

    don't forget chia seeds and ketchup (for the lycopene!):laugh:
  • showjennie
    showjennie Posts: 8
    I love putting it in smoothies too! Fruit smoothies - lately, nectarine, strawberry and kale with unsweetened soy milk. I like using frozen fruit too.

    Today I sauteed it alongside a turkey burger and it was pretty amazing sauteed as well. What's even greater about it is that it has heaps of iron and calcium! Which are two things I don't get enough of, but now I'm keeping kale in my diet for good cause it's awesome!
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    I wouldn't eat it ever
  • showjennie
    showjennie Posts: 8
    I remember when Chipotle spice was in. And then Acai berries. And then Avocado was the new big thing. Kale might just be one of those 'health food' trends.

    Ding Ding Ding

    Avocado is awesome, excellent source of fiber and healthy fats. Not sure about Acai berries but blueberries are a powerhouse too, full of antioxidants.

    These aren't "health food trends" - these are whole foods that people have forgotten about in the processed-pre-packaged-food-revolution which are now being rediscovered. The fact is, you are better off eating loads of kale and blueberries and Avocado than taking iron, calcium and multivitamin tablets to supplement a poor diet. Imagine that! Getting all your nutritional needs from food alone! Revolutionary isn't it?
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    does anyone else find it funny that every proponent of kale is describing a way to eat it while completely masking the taste?

    :huh:

    there is something wrong with that... can't quite put my finger on it...

    :laugh: :laugh:

    Papaya makes me physically ill and smells like puke. But hundreds of millions of people seem to like it. The argument against kale here is repeatedly just about the taste. Like everything else, if you don't like it, don't eat it (or if you feel you must eat it, find a way to mask it).
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Marketing. Lots and lots of marketing. Turnip greens could probably pass for a "superfood" as they seem to call anything exotic to an average teenager nowadays, except the ones down South probably still know what those are. Given that I had one of the checkout folks ask me what that big round thing coated in wax was earlier this year, I predict rutabagas are next in line.
  • CoffeeLush
    CoffeeLush Posts: 46 Member
    Kale Caesar Salad. Om nom nom.
  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,529 Member
    Sautéed with browned sausage, onion, garlic, cooked white beans, splash of white wine and/or water or broth, bit of salt and pepper - just like I learned in Italy. This is actually what is planned for tomorrow! Yum
  • rachelwarner32
    rachelwarner32 Posts: 96 Member
    We grow kale in our garden. Kale chips, salads, kale greens fried in some olive oil with bacon. Kale is sooo healthy!
  • Happyme2009
    Happyme2009 Posts: 233 Member
    Kale is amazingly healthy.
    Personally I remove the stems and steam it. Then eat it with tzatiki or cottage cheese. Alone isn't very pleasant, a bit bitter..
  • Barefoot115
    Barefoot115 Posts: 30 Member
    Avocado is awesome, excellent source of fiber and healthy fats. Not sure about Acai berries but blueberries are a powerhouse too, full of antioxidants.

    These aren't "health food trends" - these are whole foods that people have forgotten about in the processed-pre-packaged-food-revolution which are now being rediscovered. The fact is, you are better off eating loads of kale and blueberries and Avocado than taking iron, calcium and multivitamin tablets to supplement a poor diet. Imagine that! Getting all your nutritional needs from food alone! Revolutionary isn't it?
    [/quote]

    Agreed! :wink:
  • SJVZEE
    SJVZEE Posts: 451 Member
    I am contemplating buying some this every from the grocer.

    And how do you cook it? use it? eat?

    Fresh, in a green smoothie :)

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