Tuscan Kaleslaw with Creamy Sesame Dressing

Kale is a four letter word that’s been copping alot of flak in the media lately. 

The guardian calls it “shorthand for smug health freakery” or a symbol of the dietary quirks of a clueless, effete bourgeoisie.

“The maid forgot to put kale in my royal jelly smoothie! Waaaah!”

Really? ouch.  That’s gotta hurt the poor veggies feelings no?.

Aside from all of the clickbait headlines, Ryan Gosling memes and National Kale Day, because it’s everywhere like a Kardashian during awards season, you can see why it’s been ceremoniously knocked of its pedestal and ridiculed as the hip queen of greens.

Even if it is just histrionics.

But just because uber trendy people with half samurai, half mid-life crisis man buns and skinny jeans like to eat it in hipster hangouts or drown it in coconut oil and make chips out of it doesn’t mean that it should demonised as a faddish fashion food. 

This Roman staple has been around long before so called “new aged ancient superfoods”.   

I guess it’s inevitable when you start schmoozing with the in-crowd that the out-crowd crucify your cruciferousness and want to tear you apart in cyber space.

That’s why I’m going to share with you a delicious kale recipe. And it’s for no other reason than I like it and it tastes good when partnered with the right ingredients or cooked well.

Plus at this moment right now, it really is the perfect crossover time whichever continent you’re living on, to incorporate this seasonal primeval member of the cabbage family with its crisp texture and hint of bitterness into your spring or autumn meals.

Aside from all of the skulduggery against the virtue of this super green, when compared with other green leafies of the same stature like spinach and rocket, they don't even come close to delivering the nutritional benefits from consuming just one cup.

Kale =  3 grams of protein versus spinach’s 0.9 grams.

Put that in your hemp smoothie and drink it!

Kale also trumps in the fibre department and leads by a long shot with Vitamins A, C and K, blowing spinach out of the salad spinner.

Studies have shown that non-starchy vegetables such as kale can help with the management of diabetes by improving blood glucose control.  It also helps to encourage regular bowel movements, lowering blood pressure and strengthening bones.

And before you get all tied up in knots about it being a goitrogenic food along with its cruciferous friends like rocket, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, mustard greens, turnips, and watercress, Endocrinologist, Angela M. Leung, MD who is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine advises that in normal amounts, kale consumption is healthy and should not be avoided. 

“For the general population, the many health benefits of eating kale and other cruciferous vegetables in usual amounts far outweigh any potential adverse risks to the thyroid”.  Meaning you would need to be exposed to very high amounts such as 15 cups of raw kale (the goitrogen chemical is almost completely killed when cooked) for it to potentially result in possible thyroid problems or disruptions.

So if you’re looking for a crowd pleasing recipe that can be made in just minutes, look no further than my Tuscan KaleSlaw.  Straight out of the pages of my latest book Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian.

When I wrote the book I wasn’t trying to be trendy with the #CleanEating line.  I don't think about hashtagification when I write a book.  I just wanted to create a collection of really great, easy to make and tasty veg recipes that everyone can enjoy. #NotGonnaLie

Kale salads, of course, aren’t new.  Our ancestors have enjoyed them for centuries. 

The creamy citrus dressing is paired perfectly with the crisp vegetable slaw, making the salad a great accompaniment to any gathering.

Try and dress the salad at the last minute. Ensuring that your kale and cabbage stay nice and crisp, giving you a crunchy mouthful of goodness.

Enjoy my Tuscan KaleSlaw on its own or if you are feeling like a bit of extra protein, add chicken breast fillets and massage with a little of my special Spice Rub then grill or pan fry until cooked through.   Serve alongside the slaw.

Tuscan KaleSlaw with Creamy Sesame Dressing

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 3 cups thinly sliced Tuscan kale
• 1/2 cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 red capsicum (pepper), seeds and membrane removed, thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, grated
• parsley, or micro herbs, to serve (optional)

Creamy Sesame Dressing

Ingredients

• 120 g (41/4 oz/3/4 cup) raw cashews
• 40 g (11/2 oz/1/4 cup) sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 21/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar-free mustard

Method

Place all the dressing ingredients in a food processor with a generous splash of filtered water and blend until smooth.

Place the slaw ingredients in a bowl, stir through the dressing and serve.