Super Kale

Since graduating in 2009, I have made a career in the food and beverage industry. And, in those five short years, the industry has seen a lot of trends come and go.

Cupcakes.

Food Trucks.

Craft Beer.

Bacon… anything.

Food trends are a fact of life. There will always be something that’s “hot.” So, restaurant’s are always working hard to stay ahead of the trend and discover the best way to style up classics like PB&J or to create the craziest hybrid treat. Cronuts, anyone?

But restaurants are very different from my side of the industry. Restaurant’s offer single experiences. I have always worked with cafeterias and personal chefs, the realm of the industry that focuses on everyday consumption.

Here, we encounter food trends, but they tend to be more nutrition based. In this part of the industry, we are providing our clients with their daily nutrients which is a little more personal than a one-time special occasion. Because of this, our clients are vocal about their wants.

Which is awesome. I love feedback from customers. But the strongest “trend” I have experienced in this side of the food and beverage industry is the Elimination Diet.

An Elimination Diet is when someone cuts something out of their diet. They are recommended by doctors to help determine allergies or food sensitivities, but some claim (… commonly celebrities) that they are a fast and easy way to loose weight.

You have heard of them. No sugar. No carbs. No dairy. No gluten. No corn. No solid food. No meat. No nuts.

This bothers me.

Here’s the deal, and no, I am not an RD, but so long as you don’t have a medical reason not to eat something I don’t think it’s a great idea to totally eliminate it from your diet.

Besides the facts that your friends (and next waitress) might be really annoyed with you hopping from one “non this” to the next “non that” diet and that you are more likely to slip up if you go totally cold turkey, it actually might not be good for you.

Carb free dieters are prone to constipation.

Getting rid of dairy in your diet can leave you at risk for osteoporosis or lower bone density later in life.

Going gluten free when not diagnosed with Celiac can actually wreck even more havoc on your digestive track and have you running to the bathroom often.

Elimination diets also often lead to “Yo-Yo-ing” (because they don’t last), causing emotional and physical stress and messing up a body’s fat to muscle ratio. Some also say the fluxing in body weight can make it easier to gain weight moving forward.

So, if you can eat anything you want count your lucky stars because there are many people that can’t for a host of medical reasons. (And, because carbs and cheese are delish.) Just practice moderation.

I often think that it would be awesome for the next food trend to be “What you SHOULD eat” not what you shouldn’t. Which is why I am a fan of the growing term, “Super Food.”

It helps people know more about nutrient dense foods that are really good for them. Because the term is so hot, it has brought these foods forefront and made them easily accessible.

And, if I had to name the hottest of the Super Foods I would have to go with kale. Kale is big. And it’s Super Food title is well earned. It’s full of vitamins, nutrients and anti-cancer causing properties.

What is undeserved is kale’s a pretty lousy reputation taste wise.

People complain of kale being bitter, which it can be raw if you don’t massage the leaves before eating them. I love to sauté the garden’s kale and this recipe is so easy but packed with a lot of my favorite flavors.

 

Kale does so well in gardens throughout the fall. It will actually taste sweeter after frost. If you want kale in your fall garden, this week is a great time to get it started.