Got Kale?!

Kale, the yummy super food veggie! Kale packs more nutrition per bite than anything else you can eat! The first time I had Kale I was in my mid-twenties. I couldn't believe I had never had it before, although I'm not sure my less healthy version of myself in my younger age wouldn't have appreciated it as much as I do now. I cook with kale weekly either picking up a bunch at a local Farmer's Market or Coop or even getting some baby kale greens from my garden. This post is devoted to my love of Kale and some yummy recipes that my family loves!

Kale Soup:

• Potatoes (cubed)
• Vegetable (or chicken) broth
• Carrots (diced)
• Garlic (chopped)
• Onions (sauteed)
• Kale (chopped)
• White Beans (pre-soaked)
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Turn a large pot on medium heat and add some olive oil. Sautee up the garlic and onions for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add chicken broth, veggies and beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let pot come to a boil and then turn to a simmer and cover. Let the soup simmer for 45 minutes to an hour and add kale to soup for the last 20 minutes. Serve with a crusty loaf of sourdough bread and if you are feeling really ambitious, you can CLICK HERE for a super easy recipe to make some homemade butter while the soup is cooking!

Kale and Spinach Balls:   

Homegrown Garden Greens

• Frozen Kale
• Frozen Spinach
• Egg
• Breadcrumbs
• Salt & Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Shredded Parmesan

Defrost Kale and Spinach. Preheat oven to 350-F degrees. In a bowl mix greens, add egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix all ingredients together by hand. Roll the mixture into balls and place on cookie sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the balls start to brown a little. Serve immediately or can save in tupperware in fridge to be consumed within a couple days as a side or a snack. These reheat well and my kids love them. It's a great way for them to eat their veggies!

Kale Salad:

The base of this salad is chopped kale (ribbed optional, I happen to like the ribs!) you can add lots of yummy additives. I've tried all kind so you can pick and choose based on your likes so please experiment! Bell peppers, goji berries, pepitas, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, carrots, green onions, cranberries, avocado- you name it! Throw it all in there for a yummy power packed side, or go big and have it as a meal itself. Now the trick to a good kale salad is to let the dressing sit and marinade for about 10 minutes. Most salads will begin to wilt after sitting dressed for too long, but kale is thick and hearty. Tossing it and allowing it to sit for a few minutes allows the flavors to marry. I usually make a homemade dressing with whatever I have on hand. CLICK HERE to checkout some of my homemade dressing recipes which are a much healthier, and cost effective alternative to store bought dressings.

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Fermented Probiotic Salsa Verde

A few posts back I wrote about my Homemade Salsa Verde that has become a family favorite. As I have been continuing my goal of making everything homemade and healthy I decided to try a fermented version of the yummy salsa to add a health boost. It turned out amazing and so easy!!

All you need to do is make the tomatillo sauce following THIS recipe. Once you do that you blend in some whey (CLICK HERE to learn how to make your own). Put it on the counter, cover with a secured paper towel and let it sit for 2-4 days. Then you can put a sealed top and put in the fridge. That's it! So easy and full of probiotic benefits!

Salsa Verde is good on chicken, fish or any Mexican dish The sauce is great for enchiladas, but if that is the case you can skip the fermentation process since the heat from cooking will just kill all the good bacteria. Below is the recipes of the meal we ate with my new fermented condiment. The menu is super healthy and gluten free that I put together for one of our dinner during the Spring Real Food Challenge.

A Fermented Feast!

• Turkey Tacos
• Mexican Quinoa
• Homemade Guacamole
• Sauerkraut Coleslaw

Tacos:

I make these bad boys about once a week. My family loves it! You can use any ground meat that you choose. I typically use turkey but you can do beef or even bison! For tortillas it is best to try to get organic corn (since 90% of corn is GMO). I like to add lots and lots of veggies to my tacos too then I usually have leftover meat to make things like spaghetti, lasagna or even taco salad. Chop some garlic, onion and carrots to add to the meat. Place a pan on med heat with a little olive oil. Add veggies and sautee for a couple minutes before adding the meat. Brown the meat adding salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and maybe a bit of cayanne pepper (depending on how spicy you want it) and cook the meat. I like to garnish my tacos with some cheese, chopped cilantro and chopped red onions. Oh and don't forget the salsa!

In a separate pan heat up some oil (I prefer coconut or sunflower) and cook up the taco shells. Placing on a paper towel to cool.

Mexican Quinoa:

Pre-soak Quinoa in water for a couple of hours. Drain an then cook quinoa according to package. Add chopped garlic and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, paprika and cumin. Add some lime zest and some lime juice.

Guacamole:

Scoop out avocado and place in a bowl saving at least one pit. Add chopped garlic, lime juice and some salt and pepper and mash with a fork. Add the pit to keep from browning and put in fridge.


Sauerkraut coleslaw:

Making your own sauerkraut is easy CLICK HERE (but takes about a week to ferment so plan accordingly). In a bowl add sauerkraut with some of the liquid, you can add chopped red onion, garlic and cilantro. Add some lime zest and lime juice, salt and pepper and a dash of cumin. Mix and let it sit in the fridge for at least two hours.

This meal was so simple, so healthy and so delicious! I can't wait to make it again.

I would love for you to try your own fermented salsa and tell us how it was!



Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

An Attitude of Gratitude

 "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

So many of my posts recently have been about food and homesteading. If you have been following me regularly you know that I am always busy trying something new! Between my homesteading passion, family life and work things have been so hectic I have hardly had time to keep up with blogging these past couple of weeks. I have so many projects in the work especially on the business front. I appreciate everyone's love and support and promise to make more time for blogging and writing articles which has unfortunately fallen to the wayside in the recent months.

Many people are aware that Google Reader is ending on July 1st. I myself worried because I wanted to find an easy way to continue to follow my favorite blogs for inspiration and motivation. I found BlogLovin and I just have to say I love this site! So I wanted to share to anyone and everyone who wants to follow me, and find a bunch of other cool blogs! Click Here to sign up to follow my blog.

I have so many great things in the works and can not wait to share them with everyone! I love being able to reach a large audience and share information on how to improve everyday life even in the smallest ways. Again, Thanks so much for all your comments and emails! It means the world to me!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.