Like most integrative doctors, I’m a big advocate of a whole foods diet that includes plenty of leafy green, antioxidant-rich superfoods, like kale.

Kale, a member of the cancer-protective brassica family¹, is naturally rich in vitamins A, C, and hard-to-find vitamin K, a good plant-based source of iron with blood-building chlorophyll², it contains a nice balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids³, and specific nutrients that support detoxification⁴.

In other words: kale is not just another “fad food”, it is a nutritional powerhouse that everyone should be eating more of.

Sadly, despite its numerous health benefits, people’s love affair with this leafy green giant is often cut short because of its naturally bitter flavor.

Ironically, bitter foods like kale, dandelion greens, and broccoli rabe, are usually some of the healthiest, and most detoxifying foods…if only we could get past the taste.

The good news is there are simple cooking and prep techniques that will help neutralize kale’s (and any other greens) bitterness, while maintaining—and even enhancing—its nutritional benefits.

In today’s post, we will show you 5 easy tips on how to cook and prepare kale (and other greens) that will help remove the bitter flavor while retaining, and enhancing, those precious nutrients.

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #1: Add a little something sweet.

Sweetness counteracts bitterness—in life and in food. Try adding any of the following to your next kale sauté:

• Raisins
• Dried cherries
• Splash of apple cider
• Splash of port
• Unsweetened coconut
• A drizzle of raw honey or pure organic maple syrup

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #2: Try a “secret” ingredient.

The savory, salty, “secret” fifth flavor known as umami really helps upstage that bitter bite. It works even better when combined with something sweet.

Some umami-rich accouterments include:

• Freshly grated (preferably raw and organic if you can get it) Parmesan cheese
• OR Pecorino Romano (for those sensitive to cow’s milk)
• Tamari or fish sauce (look for pure fish sauce with no additives or MSG)
• Sundried tomatoes
• Coconut liquid aminos

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #3: Go raw!

Something magical happens when the combination of sweet and sour dressing hits a bed of finely sliced kale.

The key is to let it to “cook”, ceviche-style, for at least a half hour. The longer you leave it, the more tender the greens become.

Here’s a simple recipe to try at home (as always, choose organic ingredients whenever possible):

Ingredients:

1 bunch Lacinato (aka dinosaur) kale. Stems removed, sliced very thin.

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

2-3 tablespoons organic tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

3 tablespoons walnut, sesame, avocado, or flaxseed oil

1 tablespoon raw honey

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, raw hemp seeds or chopped walnuts

¼ cup raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries

Procedure:

• Place ingredients for dressing (minus the seeds or nuts) into a small jar and shake to combine.
• Pour over kale, toss, and let marinate for at least a half-hour or overnight.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds, almonds, or walnuts right before eating…enjoy.

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #4: Get friendly with ferments

Fermented, cultured, or pickled vegetables offer a wealth of naturally-occurring probiotics, can be easily made at home, AND take the bitter right out of any vegetable.

I like combining kale with red cabbage, carrot, and beet to make mine, but you can use any combination of vegetables you like using this basic procedure:

How to Make Basic Cultured Vegetables with Kale:

1. Shred or grate (a food processor is handy here) 1 large head of red cabbage, 3 carrots, 1 beet, and 1 bunch of kale. Reserve the outer cabbage leaves as they will be rolled and placed on top of the mixture once bottled.
2. Take ¼ of the mixture and blend with water and 2 teaspoons sea salt or Himalayan salt using a blender or food processor.
3. Stir the blended mixture into the vegetables. At this point you can add any seasonings you desire such as dill or fennel seeds.
4. Place the mixture in clean mason jars, roll up reserved outer cabbage leaves cigar-style and place on top of the mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 3-7 days. After 3 days taste the mixture, if you prefer a stronger “pickled” flavor, leave it for another few days.
5. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy as a condiment with meals.

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #5: Blend it up—troubleshooting tips for kale-smoothies-gone-wrong

For most of us, there have been many a kale smoothie that has gone oh so very wrong. The key lies in: not overdoing the amount of kale and blending the heck out of it.

Typically, you want to add only 1-2 leaves of kale with the stem removed and blend thoroughly.

Also, keep in mind the lacinato (dinosaur) kale tends to be on the milder side than a Russian or purple kale.

If the smoothie still tastes too bitter, add some additional sweetness like stevia or dates, and a little lemon or lime juice, and you’ll have yourself a delicious smoothie.

I hope these sweet tips have inspired you to try taking the bitter out of kale before giving up on it.

Your body, and your taste buds, will thank you.

-Dr. Patricia

References:

Natural food trends come and go—along with their big promises and sensational health claims) but the tried and true health foods will remain popular for a few years, or even decades. But very few can claim superfood status for millenniums…

With a steady stream of new research surfacing on the importance of digestive health and the microbiome, I thought a post on the wonders of one of nature’s original superfoods would be timely.

I’m talking about good old-fashioned miso

Though its origin can’t be confirmed, miso is traditional to Japan and has been around since at least the 7th century.

It is made from fermented soybeans, or soybean/grain combinations. In the United States it is most common in soups, but has a host of other culinary uses we will explore in our recipe section below.

As a nutritionist, I recommend patients be cautious about eating too much soy. Though some forms of soy provide many health benefits, per the USDA, as of 2016 up to 94% of soybeans are genetically modified¹; and highly processed soy products—such as soy protein isolate, or soy oils—can wreak havoc on digestive and hormonal health.

Organic fermented, whole soy products such as miso, tempeh, and soy sauce are the exception, and can be enjoyed with a range of health benefits.

What makes organic fermented soy so different?

Soybeans are naturally rich in nutrients, and chemicals called anti-nutrients.

Anti-nutrients act as the plant’s immune system, protecting it from disease and foraging animals.

All plants contain some anti-nutrients, but soybeans have an especially high concentration including enzyme inhibitors—which explains why most people have trouble digesting them. It’s just the plant’s way of preserving its species.

However, during a long fermentation process—as is traditional in the preparation of miso—the anti-nutrients are broken down, and the super-nutrients, such as isoflavones, are released². It’s a phenomenal process!

Let’s explore some of the other healing properties of this oldie-but-goodie superfood

• Miso is one of few foods with naturally occurring probiotics and prebiotics.
• Pure, traditionally prepared miso is an excellent source of fiber, protein, and minerals.
• It contains the ever-illusive vitamin K2, essential for maintaining healthy bones, blood, and nervous system function.
• Unpasteurized, traditionally prepared miso is naturally rich in enzymes.
• As a fermented, whole soy product, it has been studied for its hypoallergenic properties in people with soy allergies³.
• In 2003, researchers at Japan’s National Cancer Center released a study  confirming frequent consumption of miso soup, and other isoflavones, was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer⁴.
• Long-term fermented miso (aged at least 180 days), has been proven to reduce tumor size and number of tumors in the lungs of rats⁵.

Despite its health benefits, not all miso is created equal

For an authentic, health-giving miso experience, I love South River Miso products.

They handcraft their miso in the traditional way with care, love, and meticulous attention to detail. They even make 3-year miso…the hard-to-find gold standard.

Their process, vision, and product are both pristine and inspiring.

But all these cool miso facts are kind of useless unless you know how to incorporate it into your diet, right? We’ve got you covered with three delicious and nutrient-dense miso-licious recipes… enjoy in good health!

Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing with White Miso

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon organic white miso
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon organic, naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• ½ sheet of nori, torn into small pieces

Procedure:

1. In a blender, combine garlic, miso, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, tamari, and oil. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into a bowl.
2. Add nori and mix thoroughly.

Miso Marinated Tempeh

Serves: 2

A natural foods chef taught me the secret to tasty tempeh is to let it simmer in a marinade for 15-30 minutes. This takes out its fermented flavor while infusing it with seasoning and aromatics.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup organic apple, or pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon dark miso paste
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tablespoons organic naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon organic balsamic vinegar
• 1 package organic tempeh, cubed

Procedure:

1. Place all ingredients, except the tempeh, in a medium sauté pan over medium/high heat.
2. Bring the marinade to a rapid simmer, stirring the miso with a whisk to dissolve.
3. Place the tempeh cubes in the marinade and simmer on low for 15-30 minutes, flipping occasionally for even cooking.
4. Remove from pan. Combine with stir-fried vegetables (below) or serve over a salad or a bowl of quinoa or rice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Fast Cooking, Super Healing Miso Soup

Serves: 2 as a main meal or 4 as a side dish

This is the perfect soup to throw together when you’re feeling under the weather. The key to retaining the enzymes is to gently simmer, not boil, the broth.

Ingredients:

• 1 quart (4 cups) filtered water or bone broth
• 1 carrot, cut into thin rounds
• ½ cup daikon radish, julienned or matchsicks
• 1-2 cups bok choy, kale, or spinach sliced thin
• ½ package brown rice stick noodles (or any gluten-free, ultra-thin noodle)
• 3-4 tablespoons miso of choice (South River’s Garlic Red Pepper highly recommended)
• Naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari (to taste)
• A drizzle of raw honey (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime
• Sliced scallions and fresh cilantro or basil to garnish

Procedure:

1. Place the water, vegetables, and noodles into a medium soup pot and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to low and add some simmering water to a small bowl with the miso. Stir to dissolve the miso, and return the whole thing to the pot.
3. Simmer everything together for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles and vegetables have reached desired texture.
4. Stir in soy sauce or tamari, honey, lime juice, and garnish with scallions and fresh cilantro or basil.