Kale and bok choy belong to the Cruciferae family of vegetables along with broccoli, collard greens and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables, when eaten raw, provide our bodies with powerful antioxidants called phytonutrients. We’ve known for a couple of decades that phytonutrients work as antioxidants to disarm free radicals before they can damage DNA, cell membranes and fat-containing molecules such as cholesterol. Now, new research shows that phytonutrients in crucifers work at a much deeper level. These compounds actually signal our genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, the cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds. Recent studies show that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables have a significantly lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer even when compared to those who regularly eat other vegetables.
So, this is kale. Beautiful isn’t it? So dark, so leafy, so green. Just my type. Kale is one of the few “superfoods” out there. It really is a powerhouse of nutrients and phytonutrients with anti-aging, anti-cancer, pro-super-duper-health properties. Its a bit harder to chew than other greens like spinach or romaine, so you might think that you’ll boil it up and serve it with garlicky potatoes or spaghetti....well thats all fine and dandy, but today, we’re going to talk about how to get the most out of your kale by eating it RAW!
In April, Walter and I ate a large kale salad in place of one meal everyday. Our energy soared and our skin glowed. So what did we include in the kale salad....and what about the tough chewing?The trick is in the dressing.
For Excellent Kale Salad #1
you will need...
4 large leaves kale
3 stems bok choy
1 handful alfalfa sprouts
1 handful goji berries
1 handful walnuts or pecans
3 TBS flax oil
2 TBS nama shoyu
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 TBS raw agave or raw honey (or try stevia to taste)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
Directions:
Rinse kale thoroughly with cool water. Shake off excess water, but don’t worry about getting it dry as the water will help to soften the kale. Next peel the leafy part away from the stem in bite size pieces and add to salad bowl. Rinse two or three stems of bok choy. Slice the bok choy from the white bottom all the way up to the leafy green tips and put in salad bowl. Next, add a large handful of rinsed alfalfa sprouts to the bowl. With salad utensils, mix the salad very well to make sure that the sprouts are well incorporated. Okay, now for the dressing: Mix flax oil, nama shoyu, lemon, agave/honey, ginger if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour over dressing. Then, massage...yeah...thats right...massage the salad for one minute or so with salad utensils or even your hands! This will greatly soften up that kale for you. Next, add your favorite salad accompaniments. I like to add a handful of walnuts or pecans and goji berries (sometimes I add a big beautiful tomato and some sunflower seeds...yum!) . This recipe serves two. Thats right! TWO. Welcome to the world of larger salads!...and trust me, you won’t need anything but this salad to satisfy you. I happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, served with a small glass of my favorite juice.
A tip with the dressing: Change it up! If you’re not feeling in the mood for a asian style dressing, just hold the nama shoyu and replace with 1 TBS dijon mustard. Or hold the nama shoyu, puree a handful of your favorite berries, and add a dash of balsamic vinegar. AMAZING. Making your own dressing is easy and you get to control what goes in it. Explore!
A little note on nama shoyu: It’s a living soy sauce!! It has those probiotics in them...you know...that bacteria that makes yogurt so healthy. You can definitely look forward to a health boost when you invite raw nama shoyu into your life!)
Directions:
Rinse kale thoroughly with cool water. Shake off excess water, but don’t worry about getting it dry as the water will help to soften the kale. Next peel the leafy part away from the stem in bite size pieces and add to salad bowl. Rinse two or three stems of bok choy. Slice the bok choy from the white bottom all the way up to the leafy green tips and put in salad bowl. Next, add a large handful of rinsed alfalfa sprouts to the bowl. With salad utensils, mix the salad very well to make sure that the sprouts are well incorporated. Okay, now for the dressing: Mix flax oil, nama shoyu, lemon, agave/honey, ginger if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour over dressing. Then, massage...yeah...thats right...massage the salad for one minute or so with salad utensils or even your hands! This will greatly soften up that kale for you. Next, add your favorite salad accompaniments. I like to add a handful of walnuts or pecans and goji berries (sometimes I add a big beautiful tomato and some sunflower seeds...yum!) . This recipe serves two. Thats right! TWO. Welcome to the world of larger salads!...and trust me, you won’t need anything but this salad to satisfy you. I happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, served with a small glass of my favorite juice.
A tip with the dressing: Change it up! If you’re not feeling in the mood for a asian style dressing, just hold the nama shoyu and replace with 1 TBS dijon mustard. Or hold the nama shoyu, puree a handful of your favorite berries, and add a dash of balsamic vinegar. AMAZING. Making your own dressing is easy and you get to control what goes in it. Explore!
A little note on nama shoyu: It’s a living soy sauce!! It has those probiotics in them...you know...that bacteria that makes yogurt so healthy. You can definitely look forward to a health boost when you invite raw nama shoyu into your life!)
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