Eat More Kale!

Kale is a nutrient dense vegetable and is a great source of vitamin A, C, E & K. It is also a great source of minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium & copper. It's an antioxidant rich food with anti-inflammatory properties, while being high in fiber & omega-3 fatty acids! The list goes on...ummm so why not eat this vegetable! Add it to shakes, salads, sauté it, or steam it! Here are two salad recipes I adapted and two smoothie recipes.

There are different varietals of kale also! At my local market there are three different kinds: Curly kale, Tuscan kale (flatter leaves), and Red kale (purple + green color). I tried the red kale for the first time! I loved the color it added to my salad. Next  time I will be trying the Tuscan kale.

Massaged Kale Salad
(1 full size serving or 2 side salad servings)
Recipe adapted from Vegans Daily Companion by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

1/2 bunch curly kale, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1/4-1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 Roma tomato, chopped or 1/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp lime or lemon juice
1 teaspoon mustard (Spicy brown or Dijon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Lemon pepper (to your preference)

1. Add kale, hemp hearts, onion, carrot, tomato, and avocado to a large salad bowl.
2. Add ACV, lime juice, mustard, garlic powder, and lemon pepper.
3. Gently massage all ingredients together until the avocado chunks have completely mixed in. Since this is an oil free recipe, the avocado is acting like the oil. The acidity from the vinegar and lemon juice help tenderize the kale.
4. Serve & Enjoy!

Oil free, wheat free. Soy free!

The original recipe used quinoa instead of hemp hearts. I used hemp hearts/seeds to make this recipe a paleo salad. The reason I used hemp hearts is because they have similar size and texture to quinoa and are a great source of protein.

Spicy Brown Mustard:

 

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar:

  

Purple Kale, Red Cabbage & Carrot Slaw
(1 large serving or 2 side salad servings)

Recipe adapted from: http://www.wholeliving.com/151383/kale-slaw-carrots-and-peppers



Dressing:
1/2 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard
1/2 tbsp Raw ACV
Garlic powder, sprinkle, to taste
Lemon pepper, sprinkle, to taste

1. Combine ingredients and whisk together with a fork

Salad:
1 cup purple kale, roughly chopped
1 cup red cabbage, roughly chopped
1/2 large carrot, julienned (thinly sliced length-wise)
1 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 tbsp raw hemp shelled seeds (hemp hearts)

1. Mix above ingredients in large bowl
2. Pour, mix & saturate salad with dressing
3. Serve!

Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice
Only ingredient: 100% carrot juice, no added sugars, no preservatives and no artificial ingredients.
Carrot juice a great source of vitamin A which is important for tissue growth & vision, and is a good source of potassium which important for electrolyte balance in your cells and muscle movement. It's also relatively low in calories 8oz is 70 calories.

I made a fruit & veggie breakfast smoothie with it!

Carrot Juice Breakfast Smoothie:
7 Strawberries
1 Banana
1 cup Kale
1/2 bottle carrot juice (~1 cup)

Blend!

I liked the carrot juice as a replacement for coconut milk or water in my smoothie.

Greenie Smoothie:
1 cup Kale
1 Green Apple (Granny Smith)
1 Banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Blend!