Day 25 - You've Got Kale!

I can now add kale to the list of foods that I've tried for the first time since going vegan.  Quinoa was the first and kale becomes the second!  I've always heard about how nutritious kale was, but I was never sure how to use it.  It seemed a bit sturdy to add to a leafy green salad.  And with it's curly leaves and deep green color, I assumed it would have a very strong taste.  But a few weeks ago, I bought a bunch of kale and stuck it in the fridge, hoping to use it in a recipe on my "to cook" list.

Old habits die hard and I let the little bunch of kale languish in a dark corner of my fridge.  When a friend sent me a recipe for a soup that called for kale, I decided to check up on my leafy purchase and was surprised to see that it looked as good as the day I bought it.  Kale has a long shelf life!

So what is it about kale that makes it so good for you?  It's very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C,  and rich in calcium.  Kale, as with broccoli, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.  Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss.  Kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.  Thank you, Wikipedia!  I learn so much from you.

This recipe for Garlic and Kale Soup from Vegetarian Times was the perfect thing for a chilly night.  I've been eating so many tomato-based soups that it was a refreshing change.  And it has inspired me to develop a vegan version of Chinese Hot and Sour soup.  That will come later. After I buy some lily blossoms and tree ear.   For now, I'm learning to appreciate the new taste of kale.  But I won't be adding it to my morning smoothies any time soon.  If only it wasn't green.