Kale in last summer’s homestead garden

Happy Spring!

My body is just a hollerin’ for some springtime food.  The sun is shining, days are longer, and I NEED veggies!!!  The big bag of kale has been calling my name at our local grocery store, so I went in to get one and they were all out!  Just my luck!  So I had to wait for the next truck.  Thankfully when I stopped by the store yesterday, they had one bag left!  Apparently, I am not the only one whose body is crying out for fresh veggies!  Kale is a dark green leafy cruciferous veggie that is high in fiber, calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.  It is also an awesome source of minerals, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.  It is high in antioxidants, carotenoids, and flavonoids, and other anti-cancerous goodies.  WhhoooWee!  Now, that is a nutritional powerhouse!  No wonder that after a long winter, my deprived body is ready for some all out nutrition!  I literally had to keep myself from drooling in the produce aisle!  I should also mention, that although Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, it also can be hard to digest raw for some.  There are also some studies out there that say kale, along with some other dark green veggies, when eaten raw, may suppress thyroid function when consumed in large quantities.  Kale also contains oxalates, a naturally occurring compound that may interfere with absorption of calcium.  So again, finding balance in your diet is key here.  Adding kale to a well-rounded diet will bring many benefits, but overdoing it, can bring you out of balance nutritionally.  Moderation, and perhaps cooking, is the key to enjoy all the wonderful benefits of kale.  Today I will be making Kale Chips.  Kale chips are an easy way to add kale to your family’s diet.  They are an awesome substitute for potato chips.  They accompany lunch with that delicious crunch we (I) crave with a sandwich.  They are also great for the kiddos to grab and go, and in hubby’s lunch pail, and they are super simple to make.  Another winner!  Mama scores again.  🙂

Kale Chips

fresh kale, washed and chopped

olive oil

redmond’s real salt, or sea salt

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Drizzle kale with olive oil, toss to coat well.  Spread evenly in a single layer on baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour, or until kale is crispy and golden.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with salt of your choice.  Let cool, and share with your family.

*you may also play with flavors by using smoked sea salt, adding garlic…either freshly pressed, or powder, paprika, herbs, etc.   Have fun, be brave, be bold!  I would add herbs, spices and garlic before baking, save the salt to sprinkle on after.  (Original recipe from goop.com)