Healthy foods #2 Kale

Why it’s good for you: Kale is a member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables and is full of fiber and antioxidants. It’s also rich in vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and cell growth. Its textured leaves make it a tasty addition to any salad.

How to eat it: Bake your kale with a little extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt for a tasty potato-chip alternative. Kale is also a delicious addition to a vegetable-based soup.

Serving size: 1 cup cooked or 1 cup raw 

Calories: 34-36

Recipe: Savory Shiitake and Kale Bowl with Brown Rice
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon wasabi paste
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
7 oz. firm tofu (roughly half of a standard 16-oz. package), drained and cubed
4 cups packed chopped kale (about 1 bunch)

Cook rice according to package directions. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sesame seeds, wasabi paste, red-pepper flakes, mushrooms and tofu and stir well. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in  1/3 cup water and the kale and sauté about 4 minutes, until the kale is slightly wilted and crisp-tender. Spoon ½ cup cooked rice into each of four individual bowls and top with about 1 ½ cups shiitake-kale mixture.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 320
Carbohydrates: 54 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 304 mg
Fiber: 4 g