Twelve Whole-Food Plant-Based Kale Recipes You Should Try This Week (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with a lot of kale? ›

Basic Kale Recipes

Toss it with pasta, add it to a frittata, or pile it onto pizza. The options are endless! This vibrant pesto is my cold weather alternative to classic basil pesto. Toss it with pasta, scoop it onto soups, slather it on a sandwich, dot it onto pizza…you really can't go wrong.

This is a great hack for using kale in salads, but there are endless other ways to incorporate this delicious veggie into your diet, too: From warming stews to gooey lasagnas and stuffed calzones, you'll love our roundup of vegan kale recipes that take you beyond a standard salad.

Plus, eating too much fiber (like what you find in kale) could wreck havoc on your GI system, causing bloating, diarrhea, gas, constipation, and even improper absorption of nutrients. Of course, you'd have to be eating a lot of kale to suffer these effects, says Manganiello, but it's still something to keep in mind.

While raw kale may boast the highest nutrient content, the study found that steaming retained the most antioxidants and minerals, compared with other cooking methods ( 7 ).

The findings suggest that kale intake could be beneficial for alleviating mild constipation by increasing stool bulk with dietary fiber and leading to an increase in stool frequency. Correlation analysis showed that several gut microbes and fecal metabolites correlate with the subjects' responses to kale intake.

Leafy greens, such as spinach or kale, are excellent sources of fiber, as well as nutrients like folate, vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A. Research shows that leafy greens also contain a specific type of sugar that helps fuel growth of healthy gut bacteria.

A cup of chopped kale contains only about 33 calories. Kale is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants. This makes kale good for weight loss. It is a perfect choice for those looking to shed pounds while maintaining optimal nutrition.

Cook it: Kale can be cooked in various ways such as sautéing, roasting, or stir-frying. Cooking can also help to reduce bitterness and make the flavor more mild. Add flavor: Pair kale with flavorful ingredients such as lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, or a strong cheese like parmesan.

Is Chick Fil A kale vegan? ›

2Kale Crunch Side

Unlike the chain's entrée salads, this side salad is vegan-as-is. Made with kale, cabbage, and almonds, the salad is dressed up with a vinaigrette made of apple cider and dijon mustard.

Super vegans are committed to a plant based diet and look for products certified by The Vegan Society, Cruelty Free International and other reputable organisations. There are multiple benefits of veganism but most people are attracted to the impact it has on farmed animals and fish.

Typical shelf life: Generally, kale can last in the fridge for about five to seven days. The key is to store it correctly to maintain its crispness and nutrients. Impact of temperature and humidity: Kale prefers a cool and slightly humid environment, so the crisper drawer in your fridge is ideal.

Cutting the stem of kale and marinating it with olive oil and salt can help reduce bitterness. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours for better tenderness and less bitterness.

Try adding kale to your omelet or frittata. Simply sauté the kale down in some oil with onions and garlic until tender and then add your eggs to finish making your dish. We love this recipe for a kale frittata. Take your favorite wrap or sandwich and swap out the bread for kale.

Kale can be frozen without blanching but should be used within 4 weeks. Blanching greens before freezing stops the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves. This will ensure that the leaves taste fresh and will not develop a bitter taste. Blanched kale will last up to 1 year in the freezer.

Freezing kale is another easy way to preserve your extra kale leaves. I like to freeze my kale in 1/2 cup portions that can be quickly and easily added to soups, stews, quiches, and so much more.