Prep
5 mins
cook
15 mins
serves
3
Kale, kale, all hail kale! Really, it is that good for you. This dark, green leafy vegetable seems to have swept the nation over the last decade, and rightfully so! It is dense in the vitamins and minerals that we dream about consuming everyday in a balanced, tasty fashion. If any vegetable deserves all the hype, is certainly this one. The more you eat, the healthier you feel, and the healthier you feel, the easier it is to continue on your personal health journey.
What’s all the hype about?
Aren’t all vegetables, especially green vegetables made the same? Yes and no. While the process for cultivating the foods may fall under a similar formula, soil, sunlight, water, some veggies clearly stand out on the health scale – kale being one of them! It starts in the color, unlike it’s other leafy friends such as iceberg, or romaine lettuce. Kale is a much darker shade of green. And when fruits and vegetables are darker in their hues, this typically means that they contain even more healthy benefits! Think of the old saying, the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice. Except in this case, kale is not actually sweet at all. It is quite bitter, however, there are ways around that that we’ll explore later in this article.
Kale is a superfood!
I know you’ve heard this before, but it should be reiterated – kale is quite literally a superfood! And while a superfood is simply defined as a nutrient-rich food considered highly beneficial for one’s health, the list of the top ones usually include special berries and seeds, often omitting kale from the list. But considering the amount of good-for-you-ness in each serving of this dark, leafy vegetable, I think it is safe to say – kale is a superfood! Let’s talk about it…
One single serving of kale contains…
-Vitamin A: 206% of the DV
-Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
-Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
Along with an impressive amount of vitamin B6, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium. You can reap the benefits of all these vitamins and minerals by incorporating one, small serving (roughly ⅓ cup) into your daily diet. It’s like a multivitamin in leaf form!
King Kale
Kale is one of the healthiest, nutritionally dense foods we have available to us. And on the leafy, green hierarchy, it is practically the king! The cruciferous vegetable (belonging to the same family as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower) is rich in more than just a long list of vitamins and minerals. Let’s go back to the unique, dark-green color of kale leaves. Being so vibrant in its green color should let our eyes know that this plant is also abundant in nature’s blood, known as chlorophyll! Chlorophyll, the green pigment found in all green plants, is responsible for absorbing light during the process of photosynthesis. When we consume this powerful, natural component of nature, we are able to indulge in the plethora of benefits that come with it. Just a few include…
- Working as an internal deodorant due to its natural detoxing properties.
- Protecting the skin as a result of its antiviral effects as a result of all the vitamins and minerals.
- Supporting red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body.
Where to find kale?
Not all states are as health conscious as let’s say, California, so unfortunately our king kale might not necessarily be a grocery store staple yet. You want to make sure your kale is as farm fresh as possible, and for that reason you might want to utilize a service where you get your box of vegetables delivered. FarmboxRx allows you to receive farm-fresh groceries delivered to your house, all without having to scour your city to find the freshest bunch of kale. (Not to mention, throughout the year we include different types of kale such as Dino, Lacinato, and Curly.) This is especially helpful if you are living in a food desert, or a geographic area with little access to fresh foods, or if you are considered high on the risk list during the current worldwide pandemic. If you are able to save time, money, and an unwanted trip to the grocery store – why not do it! We work directly with farmers to make sure to bring you the highest quality produce that tastes delicious and is super fresh!
What about the taste?
Okay, okay. You know it’s incredibly good for you, but let’s get down to what is really important – the taste. It’s easy to talk about a vegetable that we know serves the body with tons of nutritional benefits, but it’s another thing to eat it, and agree on the taste. As with any food you are preparing, it comes down to how you choose to use it amongst the different herbs and spices you have on hand. The right method along with the right seasonings, can usually make any recipe delicious. So if you tried kale in the past, and it wasn’t your thing it’s not the kale’s fault, maybe it was the method of preparation used.
When wanting to eat a kale salad for example, it is extremely important, because of the density of each leaf, that you massage the leaves with the sauce or dressing to let the flavors soak into the leaves, as well as to soften its texture. Another way to get more kale into your diet is to throw it into a smoothie (just make sure to add a ripe banana to each cup of kale.) You will find that you can hardly taste the kale, and you will still get all of the wonderful benefits of the vegetable! And if you are looking for a snack, well this kale crisps recipe is just for you! It’s fast, delicious, and loads your body with chlorophyll, vitamins, and minerals! Let’s jump right into the recipe!
If you try out these Kale Crisps, be sure to tag us at @FarmboxRx and use the hashtag #FarmboxRx so that we can easily find your creations!
Ingredients
12 Dino kale leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt, or flakey salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300° F.
- Prepare the kale by removing any tough stems and chopping the leaves into large, bite-sized pieces. Gently pat dry with a towel and lightly spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until light and crispy!
- Note: use more than one baking sheet or make the crisps in batches to maintain a single layer of kale.
- Enjoy as a crispy topping to your blended soup, or as a quick snack!
Kale Crisps
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 12 Dino kale leaves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300º F.
- Prepare the kale by removing any tough stems and chopping the leaves into large, bite-sized pieces. Gently pat dry with a towel and lightly spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until light and crispy!Note: use more than one baking sheet or make the crisps in batches to maintain a single layer of kale.
- Enjoy as a crispy topping to your blended soup, or as a quick snack!