Eat Your Greens!

I believe green food is a gift from God.  Packed full of powerful nutrients and wonderful flavors, t hey keep me wanting more and more.  Spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard to name a few, and my very favorite KALE!  Yes I love kale!

Kale comes is several varieties: Leaf green, ornamental kale and dinosaur.

Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory.

Kale is high in beta carotene, Vitamin K and C, lutein, zeaxanthin and very rich in calcium.

Look for kale with firm, deeply colored leaves and moist hardy stems. Kale should be displayed in a cool environment since warm temperatures will cause it to wilt and will negatively affect its flavor. The leaves should look fresh, be unwilted, and be free from signs of browning, yellowing and small holes. Choose kale with smaller-sized leaves since these will be more tender and have a more mild flavor than those with larger leaves. Kale is available throughout the year, although it is more widely available, and at its peak, from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring.

Here is a recipe married with my two favorite foods kale and avocado.

KALE AVOCADO SALAD

1 bunch of kale

1 small avocado

2 spring onions, chopped

1 clove garlic

1 t sea salt

1 c cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ½ T lemon juice

2 T olive oil

De-stem and chop the kale in small bite size pieces.  Place kale in a large bowl and drizzle the olive oil  and sea salt.  With your hands massage the kale (this makes it easier to chew and digest).  Add lemon juice.  Message until the kale appears wilted or about 2 minutes.

Cut the avocado in half.  You can chop it up or just squeeze the flesh out of the skin into the bowl with the kale.  Massage the avocado into the kale.

Chop the grape tomatoes and green onion.  Add to the kale/avocado mixture and stir or just use your hands.  Greenalious!  Enjoy!