Fifty Shades of Kale: The Book

It's a well-known truth among cooks and eaters, often latent, that there's a strong connection between food, love, and sexuality. For the past few weeks, I've been cooking recipes from Fifty Shades of Kale: 50 Fresh & Satisfying Recipes That Are Bound to Please,  the new book by Drew Ramsey, M.D., psychiatrist and food as medicine advocate, and Jennifer Iserloh, celebrity author and "skinny chef", and graduate of two of my alma maters, Institute of Integrative Nutrition and Institute of Culinary Education.

Huevos Rancheros and Kale Recipe on page 18 (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Kale is clearly the love object of the authors and "she's" treated with great affection by them. If you like parody, they verbally and visually (think bondage and libido boosting copy and photos) spoof the highly popular, and sexually-charged best selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey. 

Kale-Onaise Recipe on page 53 shown dressing kaleslaw (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Single  ingredient cookbooks can be challenging to cook from night after night and boring to read but not Fifth Shades. Kale takes on a variety of roles in the 50 recipe book  -- sometimes dominant and sometimes submissive  -- from smoothies and slaws to chocolate chip kale cookies and kale mojito cocktails and plenty of entrees, including some for the die-hard carnivores in your life, and sassy side dishes. Chapters with titles such as "Morning Quickies" and "Naughty and NIce" will keep you entertained. 

Grilled Kale on page 103 made with Skinny Chef's Pomegranate Cayenne Sauce (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Long the favorite of vegans and the health conscious, kale is the most nutrient dense food on the planet -- it's packed with so many phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that its been declared a "super foods" by hard-core nutritionistas and the media. With Fifty Shades, a self-proclaimed "kale-rotica" cookbook, even the most kale phobic will unleash their inner desire to eat well. 

Zucchini and Kale Bites on page 45 Made with Parmesan Cheese and Kale Pesto page 77 (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Good for mind, body and soul, kale fights cancer, enhances mood, and regenerates brain cells (and may even get your libido going). Kale -- be it curly, lacinato, kamome, redbar or red Russian -- paired with the right ingredients -- garlic, ginger, walnuts, onions, cocoa, salt, chilies, lemon or Parmesan cheese -- will undoubtedly excite your taste buds.  Spice up your dinners (and your sex life) with Fifty Shades -- there's no denying it, the book and its recipes are a pleasure. 

Kaleslaw on page 50 made with Kale-Onaise (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Other favorites not pictured include: Blueberry Kale Smoothie, Cheesey Scrambled Eggs and Kale, Kale Kiwi Gazpacho, Roasted Kale Chips, Beef and Kale Tacos. I also want to experiment with Green Bloody Mary, Chicken Enchiladas, and Chocolate Kale Fudge Pops