Our Love Affair with Kale

I was at the hair salon the other day and the young attendants were raving about their lunch, a kale salad. I was at dinner with a cousin I rarely see, and she was talking about a kale salad she had recently. My sister called to say she had a great kale salad recipe. I ate at Frances restaurant in San Francisco recently, having waited a month for a 5:30 PM Thursday reservation. What was on the menu? "Lacinato Kale Salad: Pecorino, Grilled Satsuma Mandarin, Fennel, Medjool Date." So lovely. Just enough sweet, salty, and acidic to make a very interesting, satisfying combination.

The WebMD article "The Super-Veggies: Cruciferous Vegetables" puts the number one reason for calling these "super-veggies" as lowering cancer risk. There are several vegetables from the cabbage family. They all contain phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are important to your health. Some have shown the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells for tumors in the breast, uterine lining, lung, colon, liver, and cervix, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Diets high in cruciferous vegetables are linked to lower rates of prostate cancer.

I love this study cited in the article. In a study funded by the National Cancer Institute, 20 participants were encouraged to eat 1 to 2 cups of cruciferous vegetables a day. After three weeks, the amount of oxidative stress in their body was measured. Then, after a three-week wash-out period, the participants took a multivitamin with fiber, and oxidative stress was measured again three weeks later. The results? Oxidative stress dropped 22% during the period when they were eating lots of cruciferous vegetables. The change during the multivitamin segment was negligible (0.2%), says lead researcher Jay H. Fowke, PhD of Vanderbilt Medical Center.

How can we enjoy at least a cup of these healthy vegetables a day? Here are a few kale salad recipes for you.

Dinosaur Kale Salad

• 1 bunch Dinosaur kale, washed, spines removed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 fresh lemon
• 1 small tomato
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 leek or green onions
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly roasted
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Place the kale, cut paper thin, in a bowl. Dry well and sprinkle with sea salt. Mix with your fingers until the kale is wilted. Add the avocado and mush with your fingers. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the mixture. Add the remaining ingredients and serve. Be creative and add other vegetables such as cucumber or grated carrots, whatever you like. Note: it may not be the most beautiful looking salad; judge it by its taste.

My Sister's Recipe (simple and delicious)

Place one bunch of washed kale, any type, spines removed, in a salad spinner. Chop into bite-size pieces. Place in a bowl with cherry tomatoes and pistachio or pine nuts. Dress with 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic or rice wine vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.

My Cousin's Recipe (from Plant Cafe, San Francisco)

Wash and chop Dinosaur kale and arugula. Bring a cup of water to a boil, add 1/2 cup red quinoa, and cook about 20 minutes until the white of the quinoa appears. Cool and add to the kale and arugula, along with chopped avocado, carrot shreds, cherry tomatoes, and almonds. Dress with 1/4 cup lemon juice, cumin, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Salt to taste and serve.

Whispers of the Breath Diva:

In this moment I can nourish myself with beautiful, healthy vegetables.