About: Many believe kale is the most nutritious food in the world. Perhaps the saying about apples should be changed to “A cup ‘o kale a day keeps the doctor away.” There are many varieties of kale. They are generally classified by leaf type – curly, plain, rape and so on. Nero di Toscano kale has flat, ragged edged, nearly black leaves of a sweet and mild taste. Winterboro kale has ruffled, blue-green leaves that are bitter and peppery. Red Russian kale has red and purple leaves. Kale is a hardy vegetable! It grows well into the winter and is eaten all over Europe. In Germany, there are kale festivals and in Ireland, kale is used to make the traditional dish Colcannon.

Nutritional Information: 1 cup of chopped kale has 206% DV Vitamin A, 134% DV Vitamin C, 121 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids, and 92.4 mg Omega-6 fatty acids. It is considered to have excellent anti-inflammatory potential and to be a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Storage: Store unwashed kale in damp paper towels sealed in a plastic bag. Keep cold in the refrigerator and wash just before using.

Tips: Kale can become sandy or gritty and should be washed thoroughly. The stems are edible but are usually removed. Kale freezes well.

Recipes: Massaged Kale, Tuscan Kale and White Bean Pasta, Cannellini Beans with Kale, Roasted Kale (aka Kale Chips), Basic Sauteed Kale, Crispy Kale Chips