Kale has the most nutrients per calorie than many vegetables, and high quality bacon fat helps make kale’s nutrition more bioavailable. Kale is considered a “superfood” for a reason—it’s packed with incredible amounts of vitamins (over 200% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin A) minerals, and antioxidants, not to mention fiber. Of course, plenty of people don’t like kale. So, what’s the solution? Bacon! Sure, bacon gets a bad wrap, but it’s actually a good source of vitamins and minerals. Adding garlic and lemon juice ties everything together, so don’t skip it!
Featured Ingredients
Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and a top food source of vitamin K and glucosinolates, which are well-studied sulfur-containing compounds that break down into bioactive molecules with impressive health benefits.
Garlic is the top food source of thiosulfinates, which are sulfur-containing compounds responsible for diverse health benefits including powerful anticancer properties as well as antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antithrombotic effects.
Bacon delivers lots of flavor even when used in small amounts, which is a good thing since processed meats are best consumed in moderation. Keep in mind, getting up to 20% of calories from ultra-processed foods is unlikely to cause harm as long as you’re meeting your body’s nutritional needs from the remaining 80% of your diet of whole and minimally-processed foods.
![Wide shot of cooking kale with bacon in a cast iron skillet](https://nutrivore.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Mixing-the-kale-and-bacon-kitchen-1200x900-1-800x600.png)
Bacon-Braised Kale
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale
- 3 oz bacon
- 1/4 cup broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Chop the bacon into small pieces and place in a cold skillet. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy. If bacon releases a lot of fat, leave 2-3 tablespoons in the pan and save the rest in the refrigerator for another use.
- Add kale and 2 tablespoons broth. Stir and cook until broth evaporates. Add another 2 tablespoons broth and cook, stirring occasionally until broth evaporates. Continue until kale is completely cooked (3-5 minutes).
- Add crushed garlic and lemon juice. Stir and cook 1 more minute.
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