Green Green Smoothie

Smoothies are always fun to create. It's especially fun to make green smoothies, hiding the sometimes bitter and pure vegetable flavors in a refreshing glass of energy. Feel free to twist around my Green Green Smoothie below. I throw in usually whatever we have on hand. Kale instead of spinach, a frozen cucumber or fresh grapefruit instead of banana. Play around with ingredients and see what new creations you can come up with in your blender!

Green Green Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
1 head organic Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 handfuls organic spinach
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped, frozen
1 organic pear, cored and chopped, frozen (Core Plan only)
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
1 organic banana, frozen (Core Plan only)
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder

Add almond milk, romaine lettuce and spinach to blender. Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth.  Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple, pear, cilantro and parsley. Finally, add the banana and lemon juice. Finish with 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder. Serve immediately.

Kale Chips

This recipe comes by request from Nicole in Washington who wrote in on the Healing Cuisine Facebook page.  I am happy to share one of my most favorite and super easy snacks with you -- Kale Chips.  Great on their own as a snack or along side lunch.  They'll leave you wanting more!!  A truly healthy alternative to potato chips, kale chips (when left in their raw state) are a healthy carb rich in vitamins A, B, C, K and fiber.  Now, you will find other recipes out there suggesting that you bake your kale at 350 degrees or other high temperature.  What I urge you to realize is heating the kale at such high temps denatures the antioxidants and nutrients in the kale.  Also, if you're baking your kale until it's brown or black, those patches are carcinogenic and have been linked to causing disease in the body, namely cancer.

Kale chips gained their buzz first in the Raw community.  Research is further backing the benefits of eating a raw diet.  To keep a food truly raw, it should not be heated at more than 118 degrees F.  This preserves the enzymes in the food.  To achieve Raw Kale Chips (heated no higher than 118 degrees) you can use a dehydrator.  Unfortunately we don't yet own one...they're pricey little things, but I've got my eye on an Excalibur when we do have the funds.  Same with a VitaMix... haha.. well anyway, back to making kale chips.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying raw, dehydrated kale chips from a friend and it really takes them to a whole new level.  But if you don't have a dehydrator, I will also give you directions for your oven (at a low temperature to save some of the nutrients!).

Kale Chips
Makes About 6 Servings

2 bunches of kale, rinsed, shaken dry, destemmed and torn
1 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste
(This is my recipe for basic salted kale chips.  You can add any other flavorings you'd like!  Chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, vinegar, lemon juice...)

1.)  In a large bowl, add kale pieces and olive oil.  Get in it with your hands and massage the olive oil into every little nook and cranny of each leaf.  There should be barely enough oil to coat the leaves. They should not be soaked/dripping with oil.  If so, this is too much and you'll get soggy kale chips.

2.)  Spread your kale pieces evenly onto two dehydrator trays (or two baking sheets if using oven).  Sprinkle with sea salt and any other seasonings.

3.)  DEHYDRATOR:  Place trays into dehyrator and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 6 hours.  Remove and enjoy!

4.)  OVEN:  Preheat oven to lowest possible temperature (most ovens this will be 200 degrees F).  Place baking sheets in oven and bake for about 2 hours then check for crispness. You may prefer to bake them a bit longer, but I like mine removed after 2 hours.

Dehydrated kale chips will stay crispy for about 3 to 4 days when stored in air tight container.  Oven kale chips should be consumed within a few hours as they'll get soggy in less than one day.  Hope you enjoy this easy and tasty snack!

A Quick Fix: Blueberry Kale Protein Smoothie

Hi guys!  Dave and I just enjoyed this tasty smoothie after a morning workout.  Delicious!  If you've never yet tried kale blended in your smoothie, seriously give it a try!  You can't even taste it!

Enjoy! :)

Last Chance to Enter the Giveaway!!

Hi all,

Just a reminder to enter the Season's Eatings holiday e-book GIVEAWAY!  This is the last day you can enter.  Contest closes at 11:59pm CST tonight.  Be sure to check back here tomorrow at 9:00am CST to see the winner!  Good luck to all!

Here is a tasty smoothie recipe for these wintery days.  We enjoy for breakfast or an after dinner treat!  A great breakfast or snack to serve your holiday guests.

Apple Pie Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings (1 if you're really hungry :)

1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and diced, frozen

1/2 of an organic cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks, frozen

Large handful of spinach or kale, frozen

1/2 of a large avocado

2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecans

1 Tbsp cinnamon (to taste)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

10-15 drops pure liquid stevia

1 1/2 cups unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk

1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder (Maximized Living Perfect Protein or Garden of Life Raw Meal are great options!)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, stopping to stir and scrape sides as needed.  Consume immediately.  Who ever said you can't enjoy apple pie for breakfast?  :)

Now, don't forget to enter the giveaway!  It's easy, and you might win a free copy of Season's Eatings!

Kombucha Smoothie

Kombucha Smoothie
Serves 1

3/4 cup raw Kombucha tea (plain or flavored, your choice)
1/2 cup filtered water
5-6 frozen organic strawberries (or handful of organic frozen blueberries/raspberries/blackberries)
2-4 frozen organic kale leaves
1 orange, peeled (omit if Advanced Plan)
1 pinch of spoonable stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve.

I haven't tried this with protein powder yet, not sure if the Kombucha would like that.. Watch out for foamage if you do add powder! :)  If you try it, please let me know how it goes!!  You'd be safe adding hempseeds for protein ==>  4 Tablespoons of hempseeds = 22 grams of protein!  And don't forget they're packed with healthy omega fatty acids!

Simple Kale Side Dish

Simple Kale

1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch organic kale, destemmed & chopped
3 Tbsp Bragg apple cider vinegar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, heat coconut oil over Medium heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Toss in kale leaves, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar and saute for about a minute, just until the kale brightens in color.  Transfer to a bowl to prevent overcooking and toss with salt and pepper.  Make a great side dish to any meat or fish!

Spicy Sweet Kale Shake

Spicy Sweet Kale Shake
2 Servings

1/2 bunch kale, rinsed
1 frozen banana
1/4 c seedless red grapes (I like to freeze first)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/2 c ice
1 scoop flavorless protein powder
1/2 c water
sprinkle of stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

[TIP:  You can also use frozen kale -- when you bring it home from the store, wash the leaves, destem them then chop up.  Store in freezer in individual containers, just enough per container to throw into your smoothie.  I do this with kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage for our smoothies.  Freezing the greens first helps you taste them less in the shake!]

Gingered Chicken or Salmon

Gingered Chicken or Salmon

Makes 4 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil

3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root

2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt to taste

4 wild caught salmon fillets or 4 free range chicken breasts

Side Dish:

1 bunch organic kale, deveined and chopped

1 medium  organic zucchini, chopped

1 organic red bell pepper, chopped

Ginger Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root

2 Tbsp chopped shallot

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos

1/2 c coarsely chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 c olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

[Combine ginger, shallot, vinegar, lime juice, liquid aminos, cilantro and sesame oil in blender.  With blend running on medium, slowly drizzle in olive oil to emulsify.  Season with sea salt and pepper.  Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days before discoloring.]

1.)  Heat coconut oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat.

2.)  In a small bowl, combine the ginger and pepper.  Rub each salmon fillet/chicken breast with the ginger-pepper mixture, season with salt to taste.  Sear each fillet skin side up until a nice crust forms.  Flip the fillets and repeat the process, cooking until heated thru (do not over cook!).  If using chicken, cook well until juices run clear.  Remove from skillet and set on a warm platter.

3.)  Add chopped vegetables to same skillet and saute until heated thru but still crisp.  Place scoop of vegetables onto center of each plate.  Surround with chicken/salmon.  Drizzle each plate with vinaigrette and serve.

Mixed Veggies Stir Fry

Mixed Veggies Stir Fry

Makes 2-3 Servings

2 organic carrots, sliced

1 bunch of organic kale, deveined and chopped

2 small organic zucchinis, sliced

1 medium organic yellow squash, peeled and chopped

1 organic red bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 avocado, sliced

1 free-range egg per person

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1.)  Prepare all the vegetables (we try to wash, peel and chop up all of our vegetables each week when we get home from the grocery store and store them in glass containers thru the week so we're ready to whip up a quick meal like this one after a late night of work.  We then freeze any veggies that weren't used before they spoil.  Frozen veggies will also work well with this recipe!).

2.)  Heat your wok or large skillet over Medium-High heat.  Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil to the pan.  When heated, add the carrot, onion, bell pepper and kale.  Stir and cook for about 3 minutes.

3.)  Add garlic, zucchini, and yellow squash to pan and continue to stir and cook for about 6-8 minutes until carrots are softened.  All veggies should be heated thru at this point.  Turn heat to low and let simmer while cooking eggs, adding sea salt and pepper to taste.

4.)  In a separate skillet, over Medium heat, add a teaspoon or two of coconut oil to coat pan.  Crack each egg into the skilled to fry on each side.  It's great to leave the yolks runny -- mixes great with the vegetables -- but cook thru to your liking.

5.)  Plate the stir fry and top each plate with an egg (or two) and slices of avocado.  Enjoy one of the quickest meals you've possibly ever made!  :)