The Beauty of Flavenoids

Kale is a quiet ninja. It sits in the produce area among the carrots and bell peppers, often missed and unaccounted for. I never see it on a restaurant menu, it never shows up at family dinners and it just doesn't stand out in the grocery store, like the apples, broccoli or lettuce. No one would notice it unless they were looking for it and yet it is one of the most healthiest vegetables you can consume.
It's often colored with dark green, medium green or purple. Kale's thick, curly leaves can range from a slightly sweet taste to a bitter, potent taste. It's a hardy green that screams health.

In ONE cup of boiled kale, you have over 1,000% of your daily value of Vitamin K, over 80% of your daily value of Vitamins A and C, as well as fiber, omega-3's, calcium, iron and protein. Kale provides numerous flavenoids that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. There is also recent research that shows kale has cancer preventing compounds.

Kale was first introduced to me by my friend Sarah less than two years ago. She always braised kale with water and added various other veggies. I have come to enjoy kale raw in the form of a salad, although it is mostly recommended in a boiled or braised form. I like to braise kale with chicken broth, onions and mushrooms or add it to my favorite soup recipes. I have found that kale is a very sturdy vegetable. I've discovered kale in my fridge about 2 weeks after purchasing it and it was perfect, no wilt and no browning. It also lasts well as a leftover, the leaves don't soak up liquids as easily as regular lettuce does. When I make my kale salad, I try to make leftovers so I can grab them quickly before heading to work and the salad tastes just as fresh as when I first made it.

This is my favorite easy and quick kale salad recipe:

• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 cucumber
• 1 tomato
• Chopped onion
• Crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:

• 1 large lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Chili pepper flakes
• Salt
• Minced garlic

Roll the lemon on a hard surface to soften up the insides. Slice it in half and juice it with all your might. Combine the lemon juice and olive oil. You may need more or less olive oil, just keep tasting the combo until it tastes right to you. I never put much olive oil in because it can definitely become too oily. Add the chili flakes, salt and minced garlic. Stir it up and experiment with the flavor. Add more salt? More garlic? It's up to you!

Wash the kale and chop it into bit size pieces. Wash and slice the cucumber, tomato and onion and combine it with the kale. Pour the dressing over the salad mix and sprinkle feta cheese on top. Voila! This is definitely a tangy dressing but combined with the somewhat bitter kale, it's a great combination.

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