Sweet Kale

by Hugh
(Fairfax)

Sweet Kale contains plenty of greens and the power of beetroot without the harsh taste. The addition of the slightly sweet fennel cuts the harshness of the kale and makes this juice go down fairly easy. I also really like the lemon. I think it brings out the flavors while adding a little tang, and the acid also helps the juice digest better.

The cucumbers water down the kale a bit too. The main thing is this is an incredibly great juice nutritionally speaking, and it tastes good enough to enjoy on a regular basis. Many times the ingredients that are best for us are the least palatable so anytime we can find a juice like this one it’s a blessing.

Ingredients for Sweet Kale

1 bunch kale

tops from 2 fennel bulbs

1 beetroot

5 small cucumbers

½ lemon

Kale is all the rage these days on the health circuit, in restaurants, and in products of all types, although it’s fine health promoting qualities have been known to vegans and raw fooders for quite some time.

Here’s what all the hubbub is about:

Kale- is an exceptional source of calcium, iron, sulfur, chlorophyll and vitamin A and its beta carotene content far exceeds that of spinach. Kale is a rich source of anti-cancer nutrients, as most members of the cruciferous family are. It’s said to be a cleanser and an antiviral food. In addition kale boasts high levels of vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, vitamin K, lutein, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, sulfur, copper, magnesium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Cooking kale can diminish some of these health promoting qualities, which is why juicing kale and adding it to smoothies is a wonderful way to go.

I used the fennel bulbs from this recipe in my morning smoothie for the next 4 days. That’s half a bulb each day and it really adds a nice flavor to the smoothie. Sometimes I add ½ a lemon to the smoothie as well, rind and all. It gives a really nice zing to the smoothie, which is primarily fruit and copious amounts of greens.