Kale

Kale is an excellent source of calcium and along with the other plants that belong to the broccoli family is power-packed with phyto-chemicals that promote general good health plus being a terrific cancer "phyter". I actually try to have so many fresh vegetables from this family on hand in my frig that I eat at least 1-2 servings from this power group daily (yep-daily!) as part of my efforts to increase my odds for long-term cancer survivorship. If you plan to always have kale available and you have the oven going for something else, it only takes a few minutes to prepare the kale chips according to this easy recipe to bake at the same time.

Kale Chips

• Take a large bunch of kale leaves and trim off any tough stems (save the stems to later make soup stock). Wash the leaves, shake off excess water, tear the leaves into "chip size" pieces. A leaf the size of my palm would make 2-3 pieces.
• Put all leaves into a large bowl.
• Sprinkle ~1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar over the leaves then add ~1 Tbsp. olive oil to the leaves.
• Next sprinkle with dried herbs or spices of your choice. Twice now I have used a few shakes from a bottle of a salad mix called Rocky Mountain Seasoning from The Spice House in Evanston, IL given to us by good friends.
• Use your hands to thoroughly mix and coat the leaves with the vinegar, oil, and seasoning.
• Spread the kale leaves in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. I have used a sheet of parchment paper to make clean up easy, but just a spray or bit of additional olive oil on the cookie sheet also keeps the leaves from sticking to the cookie sheet.
• Heat the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven until the leaves get crisp. They will wilt at first but then start to crisp up. The color of the kale leaves will darken from a bright green to a deeper green. I do carefully turn them with a spatula after about 10 minutes and usually bake them for a total of 20-30 minutes. I check them often at the 20 minute mark to make sure they do not burn.

Serve right away or they are also very very good at room temperature. In each case, a full cookie sheet of kale leaves was eaten in one sitting by two people (either by my husband and me or our younger son and me). If I ever have any extra kale chips, I will try saving them in an airtight container to eat later as chips or even crumbling them into small pieces to use as an interesting salad addition or topping. See the empty plate?   Recipe from Diane Dyer, MS, RD

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Keep the Sprouts Simple

Often toted as one of the most hated vegetables, Brussels sprouts can be highly underrated. Give them another chance with this quick and simple recipe that swayed even the most adamant of our staff. Roasting evaporates excess liquid from the sprouts, making them pleasingly firm, while caramelizing their natural sugar for a bit of sweetness. As added incentive, cruciferous vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, are a source of isothiocyanates, a class of phytochemicals that may help our bodies detoxify undesirable compounds, possibly stopping cancer before it starts.  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes

• 3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts, preferably large
• 2 small onions
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 lb. small potatoes, preferably 2-inches or smaller diameter
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste  

If your oven holds two baking sheets side by side, place rack in center. If not, arrange racks in top and bottom thirds. Preheat the oven to 400° F.  

Remove tough outer leaves from Brussels sprouts and cut crosswise into three to four rounds about 1/2-inch thick. Halve onions and cut crosswise into very thin slices.  

In medium mixing bowl combine sprouts and onions, add 2 tsp. of oil, 1/4 tsp. salt and mix to coat vegetables.

Spread them in thick layer on foil-covered baking sheet.   In same bowl, place potatoes and drizzle on remaining 1 tsp. of oil. Mix with your hands to coat them. Place potatoes on second baking sheet. Set oily bowl aside.  

Place both baking sheets in oven. Bake Brussels sprouts with onions for 15 minutes. Stir, mixing in any browned bits, rearrange in thick layer, and roast until Brussels sprouts are almost tender, about another 10-15 minutes.  

Bake potatoes for 30 minutes, or until a knife pierces larger ones easily. Return roasted sprouts to mixing bowl.

Transfer potatoes to cutting board and cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Add potatoes to sprouts. Using fork, roughly break up potato slices and mix with roasted sprouts and onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.  

Makes 4 servings.   Per serving: 150 calories, 4 g total fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein 6 g dietary fiber, 180 mg sodium.    Source: American Institute for Cancer Research

Looking for a healthier lunch? Trying to eat more vegetables?  This simple recipe does both and feeds four at the same time.  (Adjust the ingredients for a one pita lunch.) 

Avocado Veggie Wrap 

• 4 (6 inch) whole grain pita rounds with pockets, cut in half to form 8 pita pockets
• 1 c. canned or cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. diced cucumber
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (or 3 Roma tomatoes)
• 1  medium avocado, diced
• 1/4 c. finely chopped red onion, optional
• 1/2 c. nonfat or light sour cream or plain yogurt
• 2 T. fat-free milk
• 1 T. plus 1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt  

Combine vegetables in large bowl.  Set aside. Mix remaining ingredients for dressing.  Add to vegetable mixture and stir gently.  Divide mixture evenly between each pita pocket.  You can use 1/2 c. light Ranch dressing in place of sour cream dressing.  Two pita halves is one serving.  You can also make your own salad combination to stuff a pita.  Delish!     

Anita Vincent, RD, CSO, LDN
Oncology Nutrition Specialist