by Brigitte Mars

In the color spectrum, green is at the center of the rainbow, representing balance, healing, emotional stability, love, peace and rejuvenation.  Green foods are power packed with nutrients, energizing, detoxifying, rebuilding and immune strengthening. As greens grow, they provide oxygen for people and the planet. Green foods are rich in chlorophyll, a potent collector of solar energy.

One supergreen is kale (Brassica oleracea), a member of the Brassicaceae (Cruciferous) family, making it a relative of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Native to Asia Minor, it is considered the closest relative to wild cabbage. The species name, oleracea, means "a garden herb used in cooking."

Kale and collards are very similar, but kale often has curly leaves, and where collards thrive in a warmer climates, kale survives in a cooler one. Flowering kale is edible, but not as tender as other varieties and, interestingly, there are no poisonous members of the Brassicaceae family!

Kale benefits the stomach and helps relieve lung congestion. It has been used to treat constipation, obesity, dental problems, pyorrhea, arthritis, gout, skin disorders, ulcers and to rejuvenate the liver. All members of this family contain antioxidant indoles, which protect against colon, breast and lung cancer. Kale also has antiseptic properties.

Kale is considered warming, sweet with a slightly bitter-pungent flavor, similar to cabbage.  It is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, sulfur, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and folic acid. One cup of kale has more calcium than one cup of milk. Many greens are high in oxalic acid, a chemical that can bind with calcium, forming calcium oxalate, which if consumed excessively can inhibit calcium absorption. However, kale is low in oxalic acid.

Select tender, dark green, or even bluish-green leaves, avoiding those that are yellowed.  You can cut off the bottoms and large middle ribs, as they are quite fibrous. Kale can be added to vegetable juices, chopped fine and added to salads as well as steamed, stir fried or made into soup. Some may find that kale is cleansing. The addition of a bit of ginger, cumin or caraway can ease its digestability. Kale is easy to grow, tolerates cold weather and is quick to harvest. They are best when young and tender. According to traditional folklore, eating greens promotes prosperity. Now will you eat your greens?

Kale Salad  (Ready in a minute!)
1 bunch kale, washed and chopped fine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
Toss everything. Then “massage” the seasonings into the kale (serves 2-4). For a complete meal, add an avocado, tomato or a few nuts or olives. You've got lunch!

To see the video

By Stacey Gillespie

MegaFood is happy to have donated 1% of sales from the recent Natural Products Expo in Anaheim to The NH Common Ground Garden Project. MegaFood is extremely grateful for the successful sales at the show that enabled us to contribute funds which will have a positive impact towards this community out-reach program.

Carl Jackson and the executive management team decided to support this local non-profit organization because of its commitment to mentoring and educating inner city children on the long term benefits of healthy eating through teaching core principles of sustainable gardening. In addition the garden nourishes families in the community by donating a significant portion of their harvest to the New Hampshire Food Bank, serving food pantries statewide. Common Ground also assists with “Elders on the Grow” at the Hillsborough County Nursing Home, where a master gardener works with the elders, and families are invited to join in.

The NH Common Ground Garden Project is a program of the  UNH Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development program and the Massabesic Audubon Center. The Project supports between 150 and 300 inner city children who visit the 4-H Children’s Teaching Garden at Massabesic weekly in the spring and summer.

The project includes afterschool / summer programs, in which children come from the Manchester Housing Authority, Salvation Army in Nashua, the Merrimack and Nashua Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls, Inc., in Manchester, Families In Transition and Massabesic’s Camp WildSide. The children learn how to garden sustainably and produce food which they take home to feed their family.  In addition they donate to the New Hampshire Food Bank – by participating in this type of service the children can enjoy seeing their peers in the community benefit from the seeds of their efforts. Last year the garden sent over 1,800 pounds of produce to the Food Bank.

As the frost thaws and green begins to appear here in New Hampshire, staff from the MegaFood offices will volunteer their time to help prepare the gardens for planting as well as participate in horticultural projects through out the season. We will keep you posted with pictures!