Curly kale

Kale shines as a cold-weather crop and is at its most flavorful and tender in the colder months – the winter frost only makes it sweeter.

It can be used raw in salads, sautéed/steamed/braised, or roasted into crunchy kale chips. The tough stems and ribs should be removed before the greens are cooked. Kale can be substituted for spinach in most dishes (with longer cooking time).  Try it in soups, pasta sauces, stir-fries, omelets, or sautéed as a side dish. Blend this nutrient rich green in a smoothie with fruit—the kale flavors doesn’t stand out, but you still get all the benefits!

A single serving (one cup) contains more than a day’s worth of vitamin A requirement, which is important for eye health and the immune system. It is also full of vitamins K, C, and B6 as well as manganese, copper, calcium, and magnesium. One cup of cooked kale contains 1000% more vitamin C than one cup of cooked spinach! It also has a significant amount of antioxidants that can help prevent cancer. Kale can reduce inflammation, being able to fight athritis, asthma, and other inflammatory illnesses. It is low in calories, high in fiber, and has zero fat! Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods in the world. To get the full health benefit of kale, it should be eaten with a fat source, like olive oil, which improves the absorption of the nutrients.