{"id":1525,"date":"2013-01-27T09:48:37","date_gmt":"2013-01-27T09:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetestpage.co.uk\/?p=1525"},"modified":"2021-02-04T19:14:28","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T19:14:28","slug":"kale-hearty-seasonal-eating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetestpage.co.uk\/index.php\/2013\/01\/27\/kale-hearty-seasonal-eating\/","title":{"rendered":"Kale & Hearty: Seasonal Eating"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I love (nearly) all foods, the more exotic the better. One of my favourite pastimes when travelling to a new country is to try the local delicacies.  The husband (Brent) and I often shop abroad for local specialities in markets and shops so that we can try to recreate our favourite holiday dishes at home, but somehow they never tastes as good as in situ<\/em>. There is something about eating food in a location close to where the produce has been sourced that makes it taste especially good; whether it\u2019s the freshness of the ingredients, or flavours that somehow seem to fit the environment, I\u2019m not really sure. Whatever the reason, it makes sense to choose local and seasonal as much as possible. Apart from the fresher and consequently more nutrient-dense ingredients, reducing the distance your food has travelled reduces carbon emissions. Not only that, but by choosing British, we can all support our native food producers and help boost the economy. Of course, it is not always possible to just eat British produce \u2013 many key ingredients in our multi-cultural British diet are shipped from abroad \u2013 however, just being more aware of what is in season, and locally produced, is a step in the right direction. Basing meals around food that we can only enjoy at certain times of the year when it is in season will make us value this produce more than if we buy its inferior counterpart from the supermarket as and when we feel like it throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Kale (or as it is known in the States, collards) is a member of the Brassica<\/a> family and has been a staple European crop and peasant food for centuries. It is robust and plentiful, currently in season and more than likely grown in a locality close to you. Lately, however, kale seems to be having its once humble profile raised to the status of a superfood. It is nutrient-dense, and high in vitamins A, C and E and K, as well as being rich in iron, calcium and a number of other key minerals. It is also high in sulforophane and indole-3-carbinol, chemical compounds which can help protect the the body against cancer and help reduce the risk of heart disease. Kale\u2019s high sulphur content also helps support the detoxification processes of the body, so kale really does make the perfect detox food.<\/p>\n

According to recent magazines, kale is the hippest addition to smoothies and juices. It also features in the latest celebrity diet book, Honestly Healthy<\/a> as a health food with a high alkaline rating. Eating foods with high alkaline content has been found to help increase energy and alleviate common aches and pains which can be caused by diets high in acid-forming foods, such as meat, dairy, alcohol and caffeine.  Juicing is an easy and (relatively) quick way to add alkaline foods to the body, can help boost flagging energy levels, and helps to cleanse the body.  If you have a juicer, check which sort you have. If it is a centrifugal juicer, you may find it struggles to cope with the fibrous stalks of kale, so removing the stalks before juicing will be helpful. Personally, I have a macerating juicer (a Matstone I Love My Matstone Juicer!<\/a> \u2013 more about this and juicing in a post very soon), which can deal with the woody kale stalks very well.<\/p>\n

\"Kale\"<\/a>
Kale (Photo credit: Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I use curly kale in green juices (purely because I am not so keen on its texture, but love the flavour). My daily green juice contains all or some of the following, and I will add whatever green vegetables I have knocking around in the fridge that are looking tired.  Today, for example, I used some tenderstem broccoli that was past its prime. Please also note that the recipe below should be sufficient for two juices. The addition of the ginger and lemon will help to preserve the vitamins and minerals, so you can neck one glass immediately after juicing, and and save the second glass for the following day without losing too many of its nutrients.<\/p>\n

Green Juice<\/h1>\n

Serves 2<\/p>\n