In the spirit of our philosophy ‘one degree change’ we want to introduce you to nutritionally rich foods each month and encourage you to begin incorporating them into your everyday diet. This month we’re suggesting Kale – a wonderful, nutritionally rich vegetable that we hope you’ll enjoy.
Kale is tasty, easy to prepare and incorporate into dishes you might already make, plus it packs a nutritional wallop! A member of the cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala group), Kale is less dense and more leafy than broccoli or cauliflower. Considered highly nutritious, Kale contains powerful antioxidant properties and contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties. Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. So as far as nutrition goes, it’s a home run.
Kale is easy to grow and widely available. It is excellent alone as a side dish, or incorporated into other dishes such as stir fry’s and soups. It can also be steamed like spinach and chopped to add to pasta sauces or folded into a casserole or lasagna.
We found our Kale recipe this month here at All Recipes, a great resource for cooks everywhere. Our kale recipe is for Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup. If you already cook with Kale please share one of your recipes with us.
Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry navy beans
- 1 large bunch kale, rinsed, stemmed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound spicy linguica sausage, sliced
- 1 cup chopped shallots
- 4 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
Directions
- Place the navy beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
- Cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker in 4 cups of water for 25 minutes. Use the natural release method to release pressure. Do not drain.
- Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and simmer until kale is bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a strainer, and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in the soup pot. Brown the linguica slices on each side, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add shallots to pot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Pour in a splash of chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits of sausage.
- Return the sausage to the pot along with the beans and their cooking liquid. Stir in the chicken broth. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the kale and cook about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
Nutritional Information Per Serving Calories: 382 | Total Fat: 24.1g | Cholesterol: 53mg