Cathy Wolz
The curly leaves of kale can be much more than a garnish on holiday plates. If you’re confounded by how to prepare kale, you can reap its cancer-fighting benefits in our Health-e-Recipe for Pasta Shells with Garlicky Kale.
Chopped, one cup of these ruffled green or purple leaves contains more than a day’s worth of antioxidant vitamins A and C, plus good amounts of vitamin B-6, calcium and magnesium. Kale also provides cancer-preventive phytochemicals like sulforaphane, quercetin and kaempherol — preserved in this dish by quickly braising the kale for only 3 minutes.
Garlic’s generous allium phytochemicals add more protection and flavor, as do the red pepper flakes. Whole-wheat pasta boosts the cancer-fighting fiber in this dish to 7 grams per serving. And with 13 grams of protein per serving, adding some lean protein or beans can bring the protein total to 20-30 grams. Top it all with some slivers of roasted red bell pepper for a festive look.
Find more delicious cancer-fighting recipes at the AICR Test Kitchen. Subscribe to our weekly Health-e-Recipes.
