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Raw food diets can take some getting used to. And as amazing as they can be for your body, they can be tough on the taste buds!
One of the most important parts of eating raw and/or vegetarian, vegan, or any diet for that matter, is getting enough nutrients.
And kale is one superfood that knows how to deliver. But boy can it be tough to eat raw if you don’t prepare it right! I remember a time when raw kale made me nauseous. Over time I fought my way through to the other side, but boy do I wish I knew a few things back then that I know now.
Kale has the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity – a fancy way of saying anti-oxidant) of all foods and delivers a whole host of nutrients too long to list but that your body knows by heart.
Many people find raw kale too bitter, too tough, or just downright gross. But it doesn’t have to be if you know how to buy it and prep it. Now sure the nutrients are important. But another important factor is making sure you don’t go crazy on a diet like this! The last thing you want is to feel deprived or dread eating. So how do you make this incredible power food taste good? Here’s a method you can use to make incredible salads.
First of all, go for lacinto kale. It’s the least tough and the least bitter. For years I choked down red kale without knowing any better. Yikes. I wish I found out sooner.
Second, create a really nice dressing out of some lemon juice and olive oil. You can play with the proportions but usually, a 50/50 ratio of acid to oil is a good starting point.
Third, separate the kale leaves from the stems and cut the leaves to a size and consistency that you like. Cutting or tearing them into long strips is usually how I make it.
Fourth, mix the oil in with the kale with your hands, and massage the kale. Be firm with it, but don’t totally squish it to death.
The massaging helps to break down some of the toughness, and the oil and lemon juice help while infusing it with a more palatable flavor.
Now you can add whatever other ingredients you like in your salad, and voila! You’ve got yourself some raw kale that is loaded with nutrients and a pleasure to send down the hatch.
Thank you! This was exactly what I was looking for. I am looking into the raw food way of life and already knew kale was a nutritional powerhouse, but I didn’t know of a natural way to give it a better taste. I’ll try your method over the weekend. And thanks for the tip on creating one’s own salad dressing. I am tired of buying the bottled stuff.
haha I had no idea I was at the site of the woman who wrote the book I just received in the mail from Amazon. That’s a creepy coincidence! I just googled for how raw foodists prepare kale and ended up here. I look forward to reading your book and am sure I will learn a lot.
Hope you enjoy it Melissa. There is also another great kale salad recipe in the book.