What's in Season?

Kale!

Did you know that in ancient Greece, kale was boiled and eaten as a cure for drunkenness? While scientists disagree as to when humans first ate kale, it is thought to have been consumed for two to four thousand years. Kale is a nutrient dense vegetable with many variants. The seven most common of these variants include common curly kale, dinosaur kale, ornamental kale, red Russian kale, Chinese kale, Siberian kale, and redbor kale. Kale is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, which offer an array of health benefits including potentially reducing the risk of cancer. Kale is high in vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper, and magnesium.

If a healthier diet is on your list of resolutions in the new year, look no further! This superfood is not only nutritious, but versatile as well. Kale can be eaten raw in salads, baked into kale chips, roasted, steamed, blanched and more. Adding kale to your morning smoothie is a great way to incorporate the vegetable’s powerful health benefits into your daily routine. Simply toss a half cup to a whole cup of chopped kale into the blender with half a banana, a half cup of blueberries, a large scoop of almond butter, and a half a cup of almond milk (or your milk of choice). You can also add a scoop of protein powder for an extra boost. Kale is considered a winter green, which is typically in season from late fall through February. So don’t forget to grab yourself a bunch or two in the new year while it’s still in season!