This week I’m celebrating a super versatile vegetable called Cavolo Nero. In case you’ve never heard of Cavolo Nero before, it’s kale’s Italian cousin, now grown in Britain, and is packed with flavour!
Also known as Tuscan kale or black cabbage, Cavolo Nero is bursting with antioxidants, is high in vitamins and minerals including lutein, vitamins A, C and K as well as fibre, calcium, manganese and iron and it’s low in calories too.
So now you know what Cavolo Nero is, here are 4 ways that you can use it at any time of the day!
4 Healthy Recipes with Cavolo Nero & Discover Great Veg!
Have you tried this brilliant brassica yet? You’ll be amazed what you can create with great veg!
- Cavolo Nero, Kiwi & Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
To make this delicious and nutrient packed smoothie all you need to do is pop 1-2 kiwi fruits into a blender along with 5 medium strawberries, 1/2 a frozen banana, 200ml of almond milk and a handful of cavolo nero; blend until smooth. An optional ingredient is a tablespoon of chia seeds of oat flour for extra texture and fibre.
I love this breakfast smoothie served over ice and it makes a great pre-workout smoothie too!
Calories: 178kcal | 37g carbs | 6g protein | 4g fat (without chia seeds/oats)
- Warm salad with Roasted Carrots, Cavolo Nero, Chickpeas and Feta Cheese
This recipe makes 2 servings which means you could enjoy it with a friend or have for dinner and then lunch the next day; you want to start by pre-heating your oven to 180 degrees C and peel and chop 5 small-medium carrots in half length ways. Give them a spritz with olive oil and season with pepper; roast for 30 mins or until tender.
Next, dice an onion and a garlic clove and fry in a large pan over a low to medium heat until soft. Then add 200g of stemless Cavolo Nero and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until soft before adding 1/2 a tin of drained chickpeas.
Add the roasted carrots to the pan, give it a mix, and divide between 2 bowls before adding a drizzle of dressing made from the juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1 heaped tsp of tahini and 1 tsp of harissa paste (add 1-2 tbsp of warm water to make it slightly runny!).
Sprinkle over some crumbed feta cheese (approx 40g) and serve!
Calories: 351kcal | 39g carbs | 14g protein | 17g fat
- Salmon Fillet with Crushed New Potatoes & Cavolo Nero with Edamame Beans & Sesame Seeds
We should ideally be eating at least 1 portion of oily fish a week and it just so happens that Cavolo Nero goes perfectly with salmon!
To make this dish simply pop some halved or quartered new potatoes (allow 5-6 per person) into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Meanwhile pre-heat your oven to 190 degrees C and bake two salmon fillets with a drizzle of sesame seed oil for 20 minutes or until cooked.
When the potatoes are done heat a pan with some olive oil and crushed garlic and add the potatoes; crushing them down slightly with a fork. Season with thyme and fry until golden.
Slice around 100g of Cavolo Nero into strips before adding to a bowl along with 2 tbsp sesame seed oil, 1 tbsp of sesame seeds and season, massage for 2 minutes until tender. Add 80g of Edamame beans and give it a good mix. Serve the Cavolo Nero mix with the salmon and potatoes.
Calories: 604kcal | 31g carbs | 38g protein | 36g fat
- Wilted Cavolo Nero with Garlic and Orange
To make this delicious side-dish you want to take 300g of long stemmed Cavolo Nero, cut out the central ribs and set to one side.
Then grab a frying pan with a lid and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 diced garlic clove; stir fry for 1-2 minutes before adding the ribbons of cavolo nero and the finely chopped zest of one orange. Cover with a lid, turn the heat down low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Squeeze over juice of the orange and season to taste before serving.
Calories: 325kcal | 40g carbs | 14g protein | 17g fat
Do let me know if you make any of these recipes by tagging me in on social media; I’m @nicsnutrition!
*I filmed this video in collaboration with Discover Great Veg but all words are my own and are 100% honest. Please read my disclaimer page for information about brand collaborations.