Quick: What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of kale? Maybe it’s healthy or nutritious—but you should also think of kale as sexy, say chef Jennifer Iserloh and Drew Ramsey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University. The hardcover version of their cookbook, Fifty Shades of Kale: 50 Fresh & Satisfying Recipes That Are Bound to Please, hit shelves earlier this week (previously, it was only available as an e-book).
“Getting people excited about healthy eating is hard,” says Iserloh, who also wrote Healthy Cheats: Natural Weight Loss Guide Plus 100 Deliciously Healthy Recipes. “Obviously (the title) is a spoof on 50 Shades of Gray, but at the heart of the book is the whole idea that you can take something that seems bland and make it really exciting and tasty.”
If you haven’t jumped on the kale bandwagon yet, get this:
“Kale has incredible nutrient density, which means not a lot of calories and a whole lot of nutrients,” says Ramsey, who’s also co-author of The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body. If you eat a small kale salad—which has about four or five cups of kale—you’ll consume about 140 calories and more than 500 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement, 3,000 percent of your daily vitamin K requirement (which is good for both brain and bone health), and 800 percent of your vitamin A requirement, says Ramsey. Kale also packs calcium, lots of fiber for gut health, and cancer-fighting phytonutrient sulforaphane.
The short of it: Kale definitely earns its superfood title—and it tastes really great to boot. Especially when you use it to make these recipes from Fifty Shades of Kale:
Beef Burger with Grilled Kale
You’ve been doing it in the car when nobody’s looking…but you don’t have to hide anymore. It’s time to come clean—and this finger-licking-good burger is so much more satisfying than those greasy drive-thru hockey pucks. Plus, grass-fed beef is leaner and lower in calories than conventional beef. It even contains a unique fat that may help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Talk about afternoon delight. Serves 4
1 pound grass-fed ground sirloin
4 teaspoons barbecue or steak sauce
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
4 large leaves kale
4 whole grain or whole-wheat burger buns
-Place the sirloin, sea salt, and barbecue sauce or steak sauce in a large bowl. Using your fingers, mix well and form the mixture into four patties.
-Fire up the grill or heat a large grill pan over high heat. Grill the burgers 10 to 15 minutes, flipping as needed, until they are brown on the outside but still slightly pink (but not translucent) on the inside. Top each burger with 2 tablespoons of the blue cheese. Transfer the burgers to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Add the kale to the grill for two to three minutes, turning often, until the kale is soft. Grill the buns halves for 30 seconds, cut side down. Remove from grill. Assemble burgers, placing grilled kale on bottom bun with the burger and top bun on top. Serve immediately.
Per Serving (1 burger topped with kale plus bun): 347 calories, 34 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat (6 g saturated), 82 mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 642 mg sodium
Cherry Kale Campari
This simple, refreshing, low-alcohol drink is the perfect aperitif. Juicy black cherries not only balance the bitterness of the Campari, but their low glycemic index may also help regulate your blood sugar level, keeping hunger at bay. Cherries also contain potassium, which can help control blood pressure. And you’ll need all the help you can get after indulging in a few of these with your paramour… Serves 2
1 ½ cups frozen pitted black cherries
½ cup packed torn kale leaves
4 ounces Campari
4 ice cubes
4 small fresh kale leaves, such as Red Russian
Place the cherries, kale, Campari, and ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into two chilled glasses and serve immediately with the kale garnish.
Nutritional Stats Per Serving (1 cup): 213 calories, 1 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 9 mg sodium
Chocolate Kale Fudge Pop
These rich, indulgent fudge pops get a boost of fiber, thanks to a hearty dose of kale. You might not think of fiber as sexy, but getting adequate fiber can lead to flatter abs and clearer skin. Fiber also helps to maintain the balance of healthy bacteria in your intestinal tract, which promotes immunity and can even enhance your libido. Seconds, anyone? Serves 8
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups warm water
1 cup torn kale leaves
-In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except kale and add the warm water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Place kale in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Stir the kale into the chocolate mixture, and divide it among eight ice pop molds and insert ice pop sticks.
-Freeze for at least four hours before serving. The pops will keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container in the freezer.
Per Serving (1 pop): 127 calories, 2 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 8 mg sodium
RECIPES: Reprinted with permission from the publisher, Harper Collins, from the book FIFTY SHADES OF KALE by Drew Ramsey, MD and Jennifer Iserloh. Copyright 2013.
More from Women’s Health:
The New Superfoods
The Dinner That Could Help You Live Longer
6 Weight-Loss Foods Everyone Should Eat