Spring and summer are some of my favorite time of year. After a cold winter when the flowers start to bloom I know that many exciting things are around the corner. From many family swim parties, beautiful and delicious berries, fresh tomatoes and being able to be outside every day I always look forward to this time of year.
Each year as we plant our garden I think of all the delicious and beautiful meals I will be able to make from the garden. When the garden starts producing my creative juices start to flow and I am always trying to find creative and beautiful new dishes....sometimes they are a hit and sometimes they are a flop...but I love it!
One of the first greens we harvest is kale. As a cool weather green it grows best before the hot Kansas days hit! My mom is an amazing gardener. She turned me onto these small,
portable cold frames. I am in love with them!! They have allowed us to keep a small greens garden, including fresh kale, during the cold winter months. This is the cold frame we use. If you want to try winter gardening check this frame out.
Why am I so excited about having kale all year round?!?! Kale is the #1 most nutrient dense green, followed by microgreens. With a regular supply of kale and microgreens I can ensure my family is getting a good source of nutrients from fresh food...what’s better?!?!?
I am constantly trying to make family favorites more nutritious with creative substitutions. My favorite success story to date is the orange “chicken” I made. My husband, the health food skeptic, was always the hardest to trick. This particular dish changes his views on healthy eating. After everyone ate their dinner I asked the question ”how did you like it.” This question is always a give away that I snuck something into the dish they didn’t expect. When i told him the “chicken” was actually cauliflower he didn’t believe me. The look on his face, after realizing I wasn’t joking, was priceless! I will never forget the stunned yet impressed look.
I know a lot of people understand the importance of healthy eating and the affect it has on your body. There has been a lot of emphasis placed on the role healthy eating has on our body in the past few decades. Even with all this emphasis and research there are still those that don’t realize the direct correlation between healthy food and a healthy body. If you are just starting to learn about healthy eating let me share with you! Real foods that haven’t been processed or refined contain loads of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and so much more! But why are vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants important to our bodies. Are you tired or fatigued??? If so maybe you need more vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals help release energy and carry oxygen through our bodies reducing fatigue and giving the body more energy. Have you heard about cell damage? Cell damage has been linked to cancer. Antioxidants can help prevent or delay some cell damage. Providing your body with these needed nutrients can make your body healthier and make you feel better.
Many fresh fruits and vegetables have decent amounts of nutrients but kale is a superfood. With just 33 calories per cup, loaded with vitamins A, K, B6, and C, potassium, magnesium, and cooper this green is a legend!
Some people I have talked to find kale to have A unpleasant, almost woody texture, making it difficult to eat. If you, like my husband, do not enjoy the texture of full grown kale there are solutions! Microgreens!! Kale microgreens are soft and subtle while still providing a crisp crunch. Another way to get the benefits of kale is to sauté it. Although some nutrients are lost during the cooking process the benefit of eating kale outweighs the lost nutrients from cooking it! Or lastly, make some kale pesto! What could be better than pesto...of course kale pesto! All the flavor, loaded with nutrients, and no difficult textures!
Do you have a favorite kale recipe? Share it with us!
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