From out CSA this week we order Kale Rabe. I looked online briefly to see what I could find about this mysterious vegetable, and I was not able to find out much. I think what it is a mix of broccoli rabe and kale. Regardless we decided to give it a try. One of my favorite vegetables is Kale, and one of Matt’s is broccoli rabe. Sounded perfect!

If Dempsey loves it, it has to be good.

Actually this dog loves all vegetables. He was raised right!

Kale Pizza

I separated the stems from the leaves and then steamed the leaves until wilted.

I was going to sautee the kale, but then I decided to steam it as a healthier alternative.

I rolled out my favorite pizza dough and added some basic marinara sauce. Anyone have a simple homemade marinara sauce recipe they would not mind sharing

Then I added lots of mozzarella cheese

Topped it off with the steamed kale and then sprinkled with olive oil, salt, oregano and dried basil.

Off to the oven on a heated pizza stone for 20 minutes.

If you have never tried kale you are missing out. It is an extremely healthy vegetable.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?dbid=38&tname=foodspice#healthbenefits

Look at all that Vitamin K!! Vitamin K is important for proper blood clotting. Blood clotting may not sound important, but image if getting a cut gushed out blood. This is what would happen if our bodies did not have the ability to clot. I know a lot of times blood clots are viewed as a health danger (which it can be), but this is not due to too much Vitamin K. Vitamin K helps to regulate our bodies to have the ‘proper’ blood clotting mechanism.

Vitamin K is also important for bone health. Vitamin K keeps something called ‘osteoclasts’ in check. Osteoclasts break down our bones to make calcium available throughout the body for other functions. Osteoclasts are vital to our health, but we do not want too much calcium taken out of our bones.

Kale can be cooked like spinach. The difference is that kale is a bit tougher. You will have to sautee/steam longer. Once you have your first good kale dish, you will wonder where it has been all your life! It will just make you feel so good inside.

Just ask Dempsey!