I made Sauteed Kale with Fennel for Thanksgiving. It was a huge hit. The sweet fennel and carrots make a nice counterbalance to the slightly bitter kale. You can serve it warm or at room temperature. It only takes about 20 minutes to make.
Kale is very popular these days—and for good reason. Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Whole Foods gives kale an ANDI score of 1000, the highest of all the green vegetables. Eating this versatile green is like putting a rainforest into your body. Here are some of its benefits:
- It is full of vitamins A and C.
- Very high in Vitamin K, necessary for a blood clotting, antioxidant activity, bone health and other bodily functions.
- High in iron. I started eating kale many years ago when I was pregnant. My doctor was amazed at the increase in my red blood cells.
- Kale has high levels of antioxidants, particularly carotenoids and flavonoids which help reduce chronic inflammation.
- Kale is full of sulphur based nutrients which reduce the risk of cancer.
- Kale has special compounds (ITC’s) that help the body’s detoxification process.
- The fiber in kale binds with bile acids in the digestive tract to be excreted. This helps lower cholesterol levels.
- Kale is a good source of the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium essential for optimal health.
- Kale is high in lutein which is good for your eyes.
I was out in Colorado visiting my son for Thanksgiving. We decided to go skiing. It was so much fun I felt like I was 21 years old. Being outside in the winter, moving my body WOW, so exhilarating. Here is a picture of me with my son at The Breckenridge Ski Resort.
Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the recipe.
Sautéed Kale with Carrots and Fennel
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
- 3 medium carrots (about 2 cups)
- Celtic Sea Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Cut off the tops stalks of the fennel (save them for soup stock). Peel off any wilted outer layers.
- Cut the fennel bulb in half, lengthwise, cut again to get 4 quarters.
- With the quarter on its side, slice lengthwise into thin slices.
- Cut the carrots into half moons by cutting in half lengthwise then slice on the diagonal.
- Heat a large sauté pan on medium low heat. Add oil.
- Add carrots and fennel. Season with Celtic sea salt
- Sauté on medium for 3-4 minutes or until the carrots and fennel begin to get a little brown and slightly tender.
- Turn up to medium-high. Add kale leaves and garlic, sauté stirring frequently about 4-5 minutes or until the kale is tender. Sprinkle in a little water if the pan gets dry. The amount of time will depend on how tender the kale leaves are.
- Taste to adjust salt.
- Serve warm or at room temperature
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Vegetables, Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free
- Cuisine: Farm to Table, American
This is what fennel looks like, just in case you are not familiar
mmm looks great, and fast. Will try when I get back to ny. Sorry, but not familiar with fennel. What does it look like and how big is a bulb? Is it like a garlic bulb?
Thanks for the recipe and keep on being 21!!!
Fennel is also known as anise. I will put a picture of it on the blog post. You will recognize it when you see it. Let me know how it comes out.
i have never cooked fennel either, but i am going to try this recipe….it sounds great.
You can also use fennel raw, just slice it really thin on a mandoline and put it into a salad. It has a fresh mild anise taste.
Thank you Ingrid for this awesome recipe. i’ve made sauteed kale and it’s good but the carrots and fennel really make it great.
How nice that you got to visit with your son for Thanksgiving in such a beautiful place. You look very happy in the picture on the slopes.
Thanks for all the great recipes and helpful info. I look forward to the next one.
Sounds like a great recipe….I love kale and look forward to trying this and am glad it uses the stems. I love that it only takes 15 minutes to prepare.
Hi Janice,
I like to separate the stems from the leaves as they take a little longer to cook. If I make a recipe without the stems I save them for my green smoothie.