New Recipe: Citrus Kale Salad

May 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

My friend Lila Anna gave me this recipe on Friday during our semi-regular morning at Starbucks. In fact, I scribbled it on the back on a Starbucks receipt. She says that even her kids love this, and it gets better the longer it sits.

I just made this for a cookout with my family later  this evening, but early tastings were promising!

Ingredients

  • Kale, one bunch (I used bagged kale, one bag – stems)
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 1/4 c lemon juice
  • 1/4 c honey or agave nectar
  • 1 mango, cubed (I added a little extra)
  • 1/4 c. sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Directions

  1. Wash kale. Remove stems, cut into smaller pieces.
  2. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, honey/agave. Whisk well, drizzle over kale.
  3. Massage kale and drizzle under kale wilts. (About 3-4 minutes.)
  4. Cube mango, add to kale.
  5. Stir in sunflower/pumpkin seeds.
  6. Refrigerate up to four hours before serving.
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Accidents and Magic Bullets

February 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Today, I accidentally ordered a Magic Bullet. Seriously. I have Amazon.com on my iPhone, and it’s set to the “one-click” purchase option. I was looking at the Magic Bullet on Amazon.com today at lunch, and when I scrolled down, I bought it.

That’s actually not the only accident I’ve had with a Magic Bullet. I took a friend’s Magic Bullet to Kansas City last week so I could make my green drinks while at the APWA Center for Sustainability meeting. The first morning, I plugged it in and added water and kale. There was a lot of kale, so I stuck my hand in to compress it – and the Magic Bullet came on.

The thing nicked two fingers slightly, but really worked it’s “magic” on my index finger with cuts on both side and a nick out of my fingernail. After a call to fellow board member Keith Reester and hotel security, it was determined that 1) my finger was still attached; and 2) I would survive.  (I am now on antibiotics, however, ’cause fingers are important!)

But despite the Kansas City incident, I like the Bullet – it makes great green drinks and is pretty convenient to use. That is, when you don’t stick your hand in with the kale! So, even though it is an accidental purchase, I’m actually looking forward to having it.

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Diet Detective: Too Much Kale

February 7, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The past couple of weeks, I’ve had some bad stomachaches. Nothing gross, just bad stomachaches. When I mentioned it to Traci last week, she said it was probably the increased fiber in my diet, so I thought maybe I had to get used to the “crunchy black beans” I’ve been eating at snack time. But early this afternoon, I started having another said stomachache, and I’d only had oatmeal and a green drink…So I started thinking back.

The stomachaches started about two weeks ago when I gave up low-sodium cashews at snack time for crunchy black beans, kale chips and fruit. But today, I had none of those when my stomach started to hurt. I thought back about all that I had changed in the last two weeks – fewer nuts, more exercise, more meatless days – but nothing jived. So I took to Google.

Long story short, two weeks ago, I increased the kale in my green drink. Not on purpose – I was actually out of strawberries, so I just used kale and green apples, and increased the kale. It turns out that kale is rich in insoluble fiber, which causes stomachaches and other unmentionable issues for many people. Several blogs recommended keeping the percentage of kale in green drinks at about 40 percent.

Needless to say, when I made my green drink base tonight, I added the strawberries back! Who knew that I – Miss Don’t Like Vegetables – would ever have too much kale??

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A Picture is Worth 1000 Words…My Grocery Cart Today

January 30, 2011 by 1 Comment
Looked down at my grocery cart this afternoon, and it startled even me! Carrots, beets, broccoli, spinach and kale? This reflects some huge changes that have taken place in my life since September.

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Sampling Snacks Today

January 17, 2011 by 4 Comments

Traci was quite smart when she asked me to go a week without my low-sodium cashews, my go-to snack. She wanted me to explore other snacks, and today, I’m doing just that.

The first snack I’m trying today: kale chips. It’s easy. I bought a bag of pre-washed and trimmed kale from Publix for about $3. Here is the recipe:

Mist a cookie sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Spread leaves onto the cookie sheet, mist with the cooking spray and add seasoning of your choice. I used just a little salt. Bake at 300° F until crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

These are actually quite good. Sister experienced a bitter aftertaste, which isn’t unusual with kale. All in all, the best way I’ve found to eat kale so far!

Next up: baked black beans. Sounds easy:

On a baking sheet, toss canned black beans with olive oil, ground cumin, and salt. Roast at 450° F until crispy, about 10 minutes, for a tasty snack.

Addendum: The black beans are AWESOME! However, it took more than 10 minutes. I just tested them every five minutes until they were crunchy; it was more like 25 to 30 minutes. Sister and I both love them, and after dinner, I’m making two more cans.

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The 30 Healthiest Foods, New Recipe + Smoothie Recipes

January 16, 2011 by 1 Comment

Real Simple, my fave magazine, asked the country’s top dietitians and nutritionists which superpower foods to incorporate into diets, and the results are here.

I’m excited to say that in the last four months, I’ve added many of them into my diet, including:

  • Kidney beans: One of the most antioxidant-rich foods in a USDA study
  • Spinach: Iron, folate and at least a dozen flavonoids, compounds that are loaded w/antioxidants
  • Whole-grain pasta: Three times the amount of fiber as semolina pasta
  • All-natural peanut butter: Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats abound in this protein-rich spread
  • Oatmeal: One of my favorite new additions, holds cholesterol in check, helps fight against heart disease
  • Quinoa: A complete plant-based protein, offers the same energy and satiety as you would get from meat, minus fat and cholesterol
  • Lentils: A protein powerhouse flush with folate
  • Kale: Loads of vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium and antioxidants
  • Blueberries: Packed with fiber, top antioxidant-rich pick from USDA
  • Broccoli: A vitamin C gold mine and key source of vitamin K, which helps blood clot properly
  • Black beans: Boast antioxidants and magnesium, which help maintain nerve and muscle function
  • Sweet potatoes: Rich in antioxidant beta-carotene

Also from Real Simple, I tried the Sweet Potato Hash, minus the shallots and subbing Pam for the olive oil. DELISH side dish.

And finally, also from Real Simple, ten recipes for smoothies.

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