all hail the mighty kale

As one of the latest leafy greens to make the superfoods list, kale is a vegetable that might scare off the average eater because of its dense cruciferous leaves. But it's worth spending time investigating how to prepare and incorporate kale into your weekly meals, because there's no denying the health benefits.

I could spout off a million great reasons to eat kale, but trust me when I say it's been touted as possibly the healthiest vegetable on the planet. A couple weeks ago, a family friend asked James what he considered to be the healthiest food. His reply: Kale, hands down. And in case you don't consider my husband a trusted expert, a simple Google search will yield a plethora of information substantiating his claim.

So, how do we hail the mighty kale in our household?

Kale Chips: We first began our kale journey like many other kale newbies--by making kale chips. We simply douse the leaves in a little olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake roughly 10 minutes at 350 degrees (or until leaves begin to brown at edges). The first time James made them more than a year ago, I was shocked by the flavor. They were more savory than I would have ever imagined. And like potato chips, they are addicting!

I ran across this tiny $6 bag of cheesy kale chips at Whole Foods a while back. Um, why didn't I think of this? Totally missed my chance to make millions.

Kale Salads: James has been eating kale in his salad for months and months. I turned my nose up at the idea, unable to imagine chomping on raw kale, until he snuck it into my salad two months ago. With some spinach or spring mix as a supporting base, a heap of fresh toppings and a drizzle of homemade balsamic dressing, I realized that adding a stalk of kale to my salads was a way to take an already healthy meal to the next level.

Kale Smoothie: Another way to consume raw kale? In a smoothie. Just blend kale, spinach, carrots, orange juice, banana and ice. And mix it up by throwing in some different fruit such as strawberries, blueberries or pineapple.

Egg Scramble with Kale: James loves to add sauted veggies to his eggs in the morning. In the past, he's used onion, zucchini, spinach, etc. But earlier this year, he began adding kale to this mix. It's a great way to get in some veggies in the morning.

Sauted Veggies with Kale: Another way to eat kale is simply to saute it with a bunch of other veggies and serve it as a side. Or, add it as a topping to Cauliflower Crust Pizza. My friend Lauren made an amazing kale side dish a month ago when she had us over for dinner. It was sweet and savory at the same time. She's going to share her recipe through a guest post soon, so stay tuned!