Kids not a fan of kale? Try it with this simple, heart-healthy recipe using Welch's 100% Grape Juice. This Grape and Ginger Braised Kale recipe has a fun, almost sweet-and-sour taste, but with no added sugar and just four ingredients!
Disclosure: By posting my recipe for the Welch's recipe contest, I am entering my recipe into the Taste the Mighty Concord Welch’s Recipe Contest, a sponsored recipe contest in which I am eligible to win prizes. I was not compensated for my time.
Did you know that February is American Heart Month? I know February is coming to a close, but emphasizing heart-healthy foods is something the whole family can be doing all year round. And with recipes like this, it's super easy.
Fun fact: did you know that 100% grape juice made with Concord grapes helps support a healthy heart by promoting healthy circulation and keeping your blood pumping and energy flowing? Moms - who of us out there doesn't need to keep the energy flowing, am I right? 100% grape juice made with Concord grapes also provides many of the same polyphenols (or plant nutrients) and heart-health benefits as red wine. So if it's a little on the early side for red wine, just enjoy a little 100% grape juice made with Concord grapes with your kids, and rest assured that everyone is getting all the nutritional benefits possible!
I love entering recipe contests because I love challenging myself to think outside of the box. This recipe was inspired by Nutritioulicious and Welch's Taste the Mighty Concord Recipe Contest. My initial reaction was to use Welch's 100% grape juice in a sweeter context, like a breakfast overnight oats. Which would certainly be delicious! But I wanted to change it up and show a different way to use 100% grape juice: in a savory context as part of dinner.
As a dietitian working with moms and families, I get a lot of questions about how to get kids to eat more veggies. My response is always just to try, try again. Try offering the same foods over and over, and try offering them in different ways. If you or your kids have tried kale before and weren't too keen on it, try this recipe! It has just four ingredients that are easily found in your grocery store. By braising the kale in Welch's 100% grape juice, it adds a natural sweetness and tenderizes the kale a little bit. It results in a side of kale that has a bit of a sweet-and-sour flavor.
Another great way to get your kids to try new foods is to involve them in the preparation process. Tips to involve your kids with this recipe are:
- Have your kids help tear the kale leaves off the stem and into bite-sized pieces.
- They can peel the fresh ginger by using a spoon to scrape it off (see picture above).
- Let your kids pack the measuring cups with kale and count to do this four times.
- Taste a little bit of Welch's 100% grape juice before measuring and pouring it into the kale.
- Talk with your kids in simple terms about the health benefits of the foods they're preparing. Have them put their hand over their heart and feel their heartbeat, and tell them what they're making will help their heart keep beating nice and strong!
Nutritionally speaking, this Grape and Ginger Braised Kale packs quite a punch of nutrition! I used the SuperTracker My Recipe tool to analyze the recipe. The kale cooks down quite a bit, so you end up with two servings. Each serving contains 144 calories, 6 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 0 grams added sugar, 6 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat (7 calories), 0 grams trans fat, and 54 mg sodium. Comparing this to the heart-health nutrition recipe requirements established by the American Heart Association (found here) shows that this is a side dish that 100% qualifies as heart-healthy!
Get the whole family involved in making this delicious, heart-healthy side dish Grape and Ginger Braised Kale recipe below. Let me know how you like it!
Grape and Ginger Braised Kale
Ingredients
- 4 cups raw kale leaves torn from stem and into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ cup Welch's 100% Grape Juice
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the kale leaves and toss in the olive oil and heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the grape juice and grated ginger into the pan with the kale. Stir, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
[inlinkz_linkup id=694271 mode=1]
Let’s hang out!
Instagram @nutritiontofit | Twitter @nutritiontofit | Facebook @nutritiontofit
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
What a fantastic use of the grape juice Lindsey! Thanks so much for entering the contest. I love the tips for getting the kids involved in this too. Can't wait to try the recipe!
Lindsey Janeiro says
thanks, Jessica! I love recipe contests like this to really challenge me to think outside of the box! Thanks for hosting it!