There’s a reason why sweet, earthy kale is the most popular of the greens these days: it’s delicious, versatile, and incredibly nutritious. For a green, kale is unusually high in fiber. This helps create the bulk you need to fill you up and to keep you full for a good amount of time. Kale is also an excellent source of nutrients, especially vitamin A and calcium. With a combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, kale is a dieter’s dream food.
Though greens in general are nutritious foods, kale stands a head above the rest. Not only is it one of your best sources of beta-carotene, one of the antioxidants believed by many nutrition experts to be a major player in the battle against cancer, heart disease, and certain age-related chronic diseases, it also provides other important nutrients.
In addition to beta-carotene, kale possess other important carotenoids: lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids help keep UV rays from damaging the eyes and causing cataracts.
According to recent research results, kale is an incredible source of well-absorbed calcium, which is one of the many factors that may help prevent osteoporosis. It also provides decent amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, and potassium.
Cashew Creamed Kale happens to be one of my favorite ever kale recipe, in case you are interested in experimenting.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 medium sized shallots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bunches kale, leaves removed from tough stems and chopped
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 4 tablespoons onion flakes or onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman’s VegiZest (or other no-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste)
Instructions:
- Place kale in a large steamer pot. Steam 10-13 minutes until soft.
- Heat 1 tablespoon water in a pan over medium high heat. Cook the shallots for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they being to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
- Then, add all ingredients (minus the kale) in a high-powered blender like vitamix and blend until smooth. Once the kale is cooked, place it in colander and press it and remove any excess water. In a bowl, coarsely chop and mix kale with the cream sauce.