Summer is a great time to have fresh food. Farmers markets crop up weekly and are fun to visit and pick up a more tasty tomato, or some artisan breads from local producers.
As for myself, as I am constantly faced with the predicament of buying fresh fruits and vegetables but soon thereafter lamenting not cooking them at the right time, I resolved this past week to both buy AND consume a number of fresh fruits and veggies (blueberries, apples, apricots, dates, peaches, kale, tomatoes, red pepper, orange pepper, yellow pepper) before they were past their prime.
I used some of the kale in a chicken soup earlier this week, and by the end of the week, I needed to make a side dish for a dinner this week and there kale was…so a little of this and that, and there it was.
Directions
- sautee 12 oz package of fresh, washed kale greens with:
- 3 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Whole Grain Mustard (Maille version with white wine works nicely too)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt and black pepper to taste
Kale is a descendent of a cabbage. The leaves are thicker, with a more distinct flavor, and perhaps considered uncommon to most households. It is usually available in midwinter to early spring. Super simple, very healthy, takes 20 minutes. And tasty!!
Some health benefits of Kale:
- 1.7 g of fiber per 1.25 cups
- source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids
- lowers risk of cancers
- has 45 different flavenoids (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties)
- when cooked (particularly, steamed) has benefit of lowering cholesterol.
*(people with existing kidney or gallbladder problems, you might want to avoid kale because of oxalate crystallization!)
