Loaded with potassium and fiber, kale is now the top trending superfood, taking over a once-coveted spot reserved only for spinach. Kale is just as versatile, and since it has curled, ruffly edges, it doesn’t tend to wilt as easily as spinach.
Kale can be enjoyed both cold or hot, raw or cooked, and packs a hefty dose of vitamin C—one cup provides even more than a whole orange. Vitamin C is one of the body’s best weapons for promoting health, and few foods contain more vitamin C than kale.
Another benefit of kale is that it has very few calories (and is, of course, naturally free of fat). It also has a high water content, which helps people feel full after they have eaten it, so they may even feel like they need to eat less often.
If kale is a new veggie for you, and you are not quite sure how to prepare this, have no fear—I will show you how to make kale and provide you with some fantastic recipes to boot.
How to Prepare Kale for Cooking:
- Clean it.
- Before cooking kale, check the leaves and ensure they’re free from dirt, that they’re dry, and they’re not mushy.
- Rinse leaves under cold water and shake dry.
- Cut it.
- Remove any tough stalks. Simply pull the curly leaves off of the stalks.
- Discard (preferably, compost) the stalks.
- Cut or tear the kale into pieces that are approximately an inch in size.
Now it’s ready to use!
How to Make Kale Delicious: 3 Easy Recipes
1. Kale Chips
This is such a super simple way to prepare kale, and by adding a few shakes of your favorite seasoning, you can transform the flavor profile of these chips into anything your heart desires.
Directions:
- Prepare a bunch of kale as mentioned above.
- Spritz lightly with olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil spray.
- Add your favorite seasonings (such as a simple dash of salt, cumin, chili powder, curry powder, nutritional yeast, garlic, or any others you enjoy).
- Arrange kale on a baking sheet.
- Bake until crispy (roughly 15 minutes) at 350 degrees F.
- Enjoy!
Kale Chips Nutrition Facts:
4 servings
- Calories: 41
- Total Fat: 1.5 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
2. Garlicy-Bacon Kale
Bacon makes everything better, and kale is no exception. Add some garlic to keep the vampires at bay, and top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for a delicious dish.
Ingredients:
- 3 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 bunch kale
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Directions:
- Cook bacon in a pan over medium heat.
- Remove bacon but reserve bacon grease.
- Chop onion and mince garlic and add to a pan, cooking until tender.
- Add kale and cook for about five minutes.
- Top with a drizzle of balsamic.
- Enjoy!
Garlicy-Bacon Kale Nutrition Facts:
2 servings
- Calories: 72
- Total Fat: 3 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
3. Kale Stir-Fry
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup broth
- 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp ginger
Stir-Fry Ingredients:
- 1 lb thinly sliced flank steak
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 8 oz baby portobello
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Marinade Directions:
- Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
- Pour over steak and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Stir-Fry Directions:
- Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat until liquid.
- Add marinated steak and cook until desired.
- Remove steak from the pan and set aside.
- Add garlic, mushrooms, and kale to the pan with remaining marinade, stirring to combine.
- Cook until the kale is wilted, and the sauce has thickened.
- Add in the steak, and toss to combine.
- Serve over cauliflower rice or quinoa (optional).
- Enjoy!
Kale Stir-Fry Nutrition Facts:
4 servings
- Calories: 318
- Total Fat: 15 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 20.5 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 28.5 g
For more of my recipes that include kale, check out the following:
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