It's no secret that our Canadian autumn and winter are unforgiving deadly to most gardens. That being said, when the temperature dips across the country, the green crusader that is kale boasts a cold tolerance that helps it last a little longer than other greens. It's doesn't really matter where you are in Canada, be it coastal British Columbia or the heart of Manitoba, most of us are able to find kick-ass quality kale at farmers' markets and quality grocery stores.
There's also no shortage of kale on restaurant menus these days. Kale salads are definitely a common, yet mouth-watering, sight, giving the tired and old spinach salad a welcomed vacation. We may be eating our words in a few years, when this leafy green is no longer the belle of the (kitchen) ball, but for now, we'll eat kale over spinach, any day of the week.
Kale Chips
There's no need for much of an explanation — Kale chips are oddly delicious and undeniably addictive. Spinach on the other hand... Have you ever tried to bake it? That sucker burns!
Creamy Spinach Dip Can Stay in the 90s
Do you remember enjoying this popular appetizer at chain restaurants in 1999? Yeah, so do we. And, we count our lucky stars everyday that kale hasn't stooped to this level of lazy, reheated dip. (No offense, spinach dip. We still love you when we're drunk).
Variety is the Spice of Life
With many different types of kale readily available at most farmers' markets and grocery stores, this hearty leaf offers colours and textures that other greens can't. Poor spinach, that one-colour pony. There's simply no tasting the rainbow. Sad.
A Superhero's Snack?
If spinach was really so beneficial for Popeye, then why couldn't he be saved from being an irrelevant cartoon character? We can't say for certain, but we're 95% sure that Wolverine would opt for kale.
Shelf Life
Endurance is an important thing, and kale's got it in spades. Even if you forget a bunch of kale in the refrigerator while you go on a weekend getaway, you can sleep peacefully knowing that it will still be full of body and ready to eat upon your return. It's too bad spinach can turn into a pile of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle green goo in the blink of eye.
Cooking Yield
Toss a pound (sorry, we're Canadian so that's 454 g) of spinach into a large pan with a splash of hot water and you'll end up with just one cup of cooked spinach. Unless you're a bachelor, this is just not going to cut it at the dinner table. With kale, you definitely get more bang for your buck.
The Salad Situation
There's nothing worse than a soggy salad. It doesn't take long for spinach to slouch under the pressure of a light vinaigrette (a total oxymoron). We couldn't be more proud of chopped kale for its ability to man up and bear the load of any salad dressing, even for prolonged periods. What a trooper!
Your Body Loves Kale
Not to say that spinach is not healthy for you, because it is, but kale kicks spinach's ass when it comes to levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K and calcium. We'll have our daily kale intake with a side of health-conscious winning-in-life attitude, thank you very much!
