Monday, February 18, 2013

Increase Your Iron Absorption with this Kale and Grapefruit Salad

Last week it was cauliflower, but this week I'm devoting a post to kale.  Ok, so this is not my first kale-devoted post. In fact, just recently I posted about my new found love for frozen kale in smoothies.  What can I say? I love it!  And while it may be true that my body can't handle a lot of this (once again) cruciferous vegetable, I seem to be able to to manage a serving or two on occasion.  Similar to cauliflower, kale has been in the spotlight recently both for its "Super Food" powers and for it's versatility in the kitchen.  Chefs are taking note.


Remember the kale salad I made at Thanksgiving?  It was wonderful.  I mean, both Nick and my dad ate it, so it had to be good!



This kale salad is very similar, but much more simple, really.  The great thing about pairing a green vegetable like kale with a citrus fruit like grapefruit (or oranges in the case above) is that the vitamin C from the grapefruit will aid in non-heme (basically non-meat) iron absorption.  So for those of you who don't get enough iron from meat, poultry, fish, do yourself a favor and pair your dark greens with some citrus!

Kale and Pink Grapefruit Salad


Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pink or red grapefruit **
2 Tbsp. EVOO**
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups thinly sliced kale (ribs and center stems removed)


Directions
Cut the peel and white pith from the grapefruit.  Working over a small bowl, cut between the membranes to release the segments into the bowl.

Squeeze juice from the membranes into the bowl.  Strain the juice into another small bowl (you should have about 1/4 cup juice total).

Whisk oil into juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place kale in a large bowl.  Drizzle with 3 Tbsp. dressing.  Toss to combine.  Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Toss salad again.  Arrange grapefruit segments over the salad.  Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.


**NOTE:  I used garlic EVOO to add a bit more flavor.  Is that weird?! Also, if you are following a Low FODMAPs diet, use oranges instead of grapefruit, or just be sure to eat only a couple slices of the grapefruit, as they do contain fructans.

Nutrition Facts: Per serving; 153 calories, 5 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 8 grams fat, 0 cholesterol, 58 grams sodium (this will vary depending on the amount of salt you add)






If you follow a low FODMAPs diet you may be surprised that kale is actually not off limits.  Ok, maybe I'm the only one who was surprised when I saw this on my new low FODMAPs iphone app?


I mean, kale is a cruciferous vegetable, such as cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli, so I assumed it was off limits, but alas it is not!  But please, be warned, if you eat more than a cup it may cause side-effects (well, it does for me at least, ie: flatulence and bloat......sorry Nick).


QUESTION:  Do you like kale in your salads? Which do you prefer, kale or spinach?  I think for me it depends on the application, most often I prefer kale.


Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd


NOTE: I love comments!  But, be sure to come back to read any replies to questions or comments, as they do not go directly to your e-mail.





2 comments :

  1. I like kale a lot, and we eat it a lot. The pink grapefruit is so pretty in the salad!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love how you use your dad and Nick as gauges of whether or not a healthy dish is super delicious - I do the exact same thing with Peter and his dad, lol! This salad is a nutrient powerhouse in one dish - love it! I used to think spinach was the tastiest salad green, but I have to say I'm leaning more toward kale nowadays. I love green or dinosaur kale in salads, yum!

    ReplyDelete