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Archive for the ‘Kale’ Category

Virtual Vegan Potluck – All Hail Kale – All Hail Kale

Posted in Kale, Recipes, Tofu, Virtual Vegan Potluck, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2012 | 83 Comments »

All Hail Kale. All Hail Kale.

Today I am featuring a Kale and Tofu Wonton.  I made these Vegan Style. So glad you joined me today, because it is Virtual Vegan Potluck Day. This is the Second Virtual Vegan Potluck and I was lucky enough to participate once again. Check out my 1st. Virtual Vegan Potluck Post. While I am not Vegan, my friend Annie over at An Unrefined Vegan who organizes the Potluck allows non-vegan bloggers to join in on the fun as long as they respect the Vegan lifestyle and post a recipe that follows the Vegan guidelines. So my contribution to the Potluck is an appetizer to stimulate your appetite.

Please enjoy a hearty bite of Kale and Tofu Wonton. 

Here’s the recipe for the Kale and Tofu Wontons, just in case you want to make these little appetizers for your next Potluck.

Kale and Tofu Wonton 2 Ways:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Bunch of Kale Torn from the Stem
  • 1 Block of Tofu
  • 1/3 Cup of Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • Wonton Wrappers (See recipe below to make your own Vegan Wontons)
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • Cooking Spray
  • Vegetable Marinara Sauce for Dipping

Directions:

  • In a large pot of salted water boil the kale until tender, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the kale to a colander. When cool squeeze out excess water and finely chop. In a medium bowl, mash together the kale, the tofu block, the nutritional yeast, and the garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.
  • Assemble ravioli, by arranging wonton wrappers on a sprayed cookie sheet. Fill each wrapper with about 1 tsp of  mix.
  • Wet fingers and run along two sides of the wrapper. Fold over and seal. Spray completed ravioli with cooking spray and Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

(or)

  • Take a mini muffin tin, spray with cooking spray and then line the tin with a wonton wrapper
  • fill with about 1 tsp of mix
  • Lightly spray cooking spray on filled wontons and bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Serve with a side of vegetable marinara sauce.
  • Makes about 18-24 wontons depending on how thin you roll out the dough.

Here’s the recipe to make your own Vegan Wontons.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup warm water cornstarch, as needed
Directions:
  • Sift together flour and salt in a bowl. Slowly stir in warm water, dough will be very stiff
  • Knead dough on floured surface until smooth, about 15 minutes. Cover with towel and let stand for 20 minutes
  • Roll about 1/2 the dough out, as thin as you can
  • then Repeat for other 1/2 dough
* This was a bit harder than I expected. Rolling out the dough was hard work and I tried to go as thin as possible. For the sake of getting a good picture I do have to admit that I used the best wontons for the above photos. I had quite a few funky shaped ones that tasted good, but were a bit embarrassing in thickness and shape.

Okay, back to the Pot Luck. Here’s how the Potluck works. You need to start at the beginning and work your way through the meal. I will have instructions and a link down below that will guide you through the Potluck, but since your here I thought maybe you could check out the blogger that precedes me and that follows me in the Potluck.

So the blogger that precedes me is The Little Green House from Australia. Just click on the Go Back Link Button Below, but Please come back so you can go forward…

Go Back

Thanks for coming back. Now the blogger that follows me is The Vegan Kat from the USA. Just click on the Go Forward link button below, and again Please come back to enjoy the rest of my post!
Go Forward

Okay now I can complete my post with you and then get you on your way through the rest of the Pot Luck. The Potluck is HUGE this second time around. This Potluck is eight courses with over 103 Bloggers participating. So there is so much fun to be had, and some serious foods that need some attention. I am on the lookout for some great Vegan Dinner ideas.

Now I want to share my love of Kale with you. I really do Love Kale. I picked up this necklace at Vegan Cuts and I wear almost everyday. Can you believe that there are people out there in this great big world that have NEVER tried Kale? I know it’s ridiculous. Kale Rules!

So I had to post this picture, I know it’s cheesy, but little things like this amuse me. I Felt like I was just Nominated for Kale Queen, and how could I not share that with you? 

I had a bunch of kale left over after making the wontons so I made some tasty little Kale chips as a snack.

Kale Chips Cooking Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to about 375*
  • Tear the leaves off the thick stems into bite size pieces. Spread out on cookie sheets.
  • Drizzle with about 2 tsp of olive oil
  • Sprinkle with seasonings of choice. Plus a sprinkle of salt. I used nutritional yeast and garlic powder
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are brown and kale is crispy

Again, Kale Rules!

The Virtual Vegan Potluck is a favorite day of mine, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and took away some amazing recipes and maybe a few new blogs to follow, and I’d like to extend a special thanks to all the Vegan’s out there, I really appreciate your lifestyle and life choices and I strive everyday to make ethical choices and to guide myself down the path to a plant-based lifestyle. I also hope you got a good chuckle out of my Kale Queen picture.

So as promised here is the Link to the Start of the Potluck. Our host is Vegan Bloggers Unite. Please enjoy, and…

Thanks For Coming

Well I’m off to enjoy some Potluck dishes, I might jump forward to the desserts, I have a sweet tooth, and I am craving sweets.

Check Ya Later.

I’d like to encourage you to comment on the bloggers that participated in the Potluck, we all would really appreciate your comments. Thanks Foodie Friends.

Potluck Question of the Day: What is your favorite dish to EAT at a Potluck? -or- What is your favorite dish to BRING to a Potluck? -or- What did you think of MY Kale and Tofu Wontons?

Kale Queen…I like it. I like it alot! Stay Healthy Potluckers.

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Squash This Meal

Posted in Fresh Ideas, Kale, Recipes, tagged , , , , on October 24, 2012 | 7 Comments »

I am so loving fall so far, lots of good eats and easy meals. One of my favorite meals lately has been Spaghetti Squash. One squash goes a long way. I made several meals from this one squash. Check it out.

Here’s How I Baked the Squash: 

  • Cut it in half lengthwise (I found this to be difficult. Husband to the Rescue)
  • Scrape out the seeds and pulp as you would with any squash or pumpkin
  • Bake rind side up about 30 to 40 minutes at 375 F
  • Separate strands by running a fork through in the “from stem to stern” direction.

One of the meals I made was spaghetti squash with marinara sauce, kale chips and a side of garlic toast.

The next day I made gnocchi, kale chips, and piled on the left over spaghetti squash and the marinara sauce.

Happy Fall = Happy Eating.

Check Ya Later.

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Feast of Leftovers/Smoothie Prep

Posted in Fresh Ideas, Kale, Prepping, Smoothie's, Tofu, tagged , , , , , , , on July 11, 2012 | 9 Comments »

Leftover party at my house. I had some goodies stored away and thought why not pull them all out and have a mixed bag for dinner. So we had leftover Mayan Harvest Bake, Tofu Kale Lasagna and Polenta Pizza Snacks. 

I love having meals frozen that I can just thaw enjoy. I was so happy that the Tofu Lasagna thawed and reheated so well. I was worried it was going to be watery and mushy, but it was perfect.

I also took some fresh raspberries and bagged them up into snack bags and froze them. I always keep frozen fruit on hand for making smoothies. Here are a few of my favorite smoothies Recovery Smoothie, Kale Smoothie. Whenever a banana gets a bit brown in my house I jump all over it. I peel, slice and bag.

Strawberries also got sliced, bagged and stored for future use.

Piled high.

By freezing all my fruit I do not need to add ice cubes to my smoothies.

I have good news, the Swans on the lake have finally unveiled their Cygnet. I was not sure what the proper term was for a group of baby Swans, so I Googled it, and sure enough, it said a group of Baby Swans are called Cygnet. Thanks Google. The male swan did this crazy fly by over the entire lake. He was making a low honking noise, as if to announce the proud moment. After his flight he went back to the nest and proudly swan out with his new family. It was really one of the coolest things I have ever witnessed.

They are really protective of their babies and have stayed close to their nest which happens to be at the end of the lake where there is not much boat traffic. There are 4 babies, they are fuzzy and staying super close to mom and dad. So exciting to see them all together.

I also got a picture of Harvey our local Blue Heron. Since I have been perched on my deck with my camera waiting to get a picture of the swans, I was lucky to catch Harvey while he was looking for a place to fish. All the neighbors on the lake call the Blue Herons on the lake Harvey, it’s one of those things that sticks after someone says it.

I love watching him fly and land, he is very graceful. He is normally silent when he flies, but when he is mad after being disturbed by jet skiers or boaters he makes this prehistoric sound while flying away. Still cracks me up every time I hear it.

So I had a fun day, so excited that the Swans are finally here.

Check Ya Later.

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Flat Out Dinner

Posted in Dogs, Fresh Ideas, Garden, Grilled Foods, Kale, Wraps, tagged , , , , , , , on June 9, 2012 | 6 Comments »

Work has been busy lately and I love that, the days have been flying by, but I am on the Fitmixer Boot Camp program and the program is set up to eat 6 small a day. So during the day I have been setting the alarm on my phone to remind me when it’s time for my next meal.

That has been really helping me stay on schedule. My first two meals are protein smoothies. The first protein smoothie I blend at home before I leave for work with fruit and the second meal mixes up well with the Fitmixer blender bottle.  Then I have lunch and a mid afternoon snack.

Me being the planner I am loves this, I pack all my water, Fitmixer powder, snacks and lunch all in a big bag the night before work. I love to be prepared.

So here’s how I started my day. Fitmixer Boot Camp Smoothie with banana and raspberries.

Digging my morning smoothies lately. I love the vanilla protein powder and I love choosing what frozen fruits I’ll be adding to it. Today’s was delicious.

Sliced and bagged an apple for my mid morning snack.

Later, dinner was thrown together. I knew what I wanted to make, but was not sure how it would all fit together. Grilled chicken breast, seasoned rice and kale chips on Flat Out bread, with a side of roasted broccoli. I wanted a clean, easy and filling dinner, and it worked out well together, I really liked it.

Had a really nice cool evening so we sat on the deck, ate dinner and enjoyed the view.

We have a pair of nesting swans on the lake this year and I have been watching them every night, tonight the male was swimming around while the female sat on the nest. He sit’s next to her most of the time, but tonight he took a nice long swim and cleaned his feathers. I hope I am home when the eggs hatch. She has been on her nest now for three weeks and the normal process is 40 days, so I really think the hatching is getting close.

The Lilly pads are starting to bloom and I love when they flower, I will be sure to post a picture as soon as I get one.

Finally got the picture I have been trying to get for days, the Baltimore Oriole that visits my bird bath daily.

Killian laid in the grass and relaxed for approximately 30 seconds, then it was right back to running around the yard monitoring any movement from anything.

Stuart was fascinated by the swan and stood on the deck woofing at him.

I snapped a picture of my blooming lavender, so pretty, smells amazing.

Then Killian and Stuart decided to chase each other and play fight. They had a blast.

Later in the evening a hummingbird was hanging around the feeder so I grabbed my camera and ran upstairs to my bedroom balcony for a better view and was so excited that he was still buzzing around taking drinks.

The last picture I took today was this little bunny, he has had a few close calls with my dogs, but each time has made it to shelter. I try to look for him before I let the dogs out, but sometimes he’s in a bush or a plant and I don’t see him, so glad he’s fast, I like watching him weed my yard.

Well, I had a great day and now it’s time to watch Master Chef, I love me some Gordan Ramsey. What did I ever do before DVR? Digging that it’s the weekend I need some extra sleep.

Now to the Winner of  The 4 Simply Bars # 7 Lisa at Fit in the Midwest.

  1. Caramel peanut sounds delicious!

     

Also, The Simply Bar has offered to send a  Lemon Coconut Bar to an additional winner. So I did another drawing and the winner of the Free Bar direct from The Simply Bar is #10 MLLrungirl.

  1. I follow you on twitter.

So now I just need the winners to email me at denajeanne@gmail.com with your shipping information and your prize will be on it’s way. 

Thanks to everyone who entered. 

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite cooking show?  I’m love around the world in 80 plates.

Check Ya Later.

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Tofu, Kale and Flowers

Posted in Fresh Ideas, Garden, Kale, Tofu, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 2, 2012 | 13 Comments »

Today was a great day for a light meal. I had a fresh batch of kale and some tofu and had lasagna on my mind so Tofu Kale Lasagna is what I made.

With the tofu, you really have to press out all the water or you will end up with a watered down pasta sauce. First I crumbled up the tofu with a fork and season it with salt, pepper, parsley and Italian Garlic Gold Nuggets all to taste. Remove all the stems from the kale and tear into small pieces. Then get ready to layer.

  

There are no rules when making a lasagna. Do as many layers as you want or what will fit in your dish. As I was layering the lasagna, I remembered that I had two mozzarella balls (I said balls!) left, so I grabbed them (ha), sliced them and topped off my lasagna with them.

      

Bakes on 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

I was so ready to give it a try. I normally use spinach so I was excited to try the kale. Verdict: Loved it. It still had the firm texture that kale offers, but was soft enough to cut with a fork. The extra cheese was also a nice touch. It was TofuKaleTastic.

Simple, easy and healthy.

After dinner I took a few pictures of my garden. It was a beautiful day.

     

   

I have a thing for yard decorations and my favorite yard decor is this concrete turtle. It’s huge, and it’s heavy and gives my garden a little flair. I named it Big T. It was in a different part of my yard and I recently moved it closer to my deck so I could see it while lounging. I had to use a Hand-Cart to move Big T.

Here’s a picture from 5 years ago of Big T being used as a step stool by Stuart. Stuart and Killian chased a squirrel up the tree. Wow this picture shows my tree before I landscaped around it.

I have these rain barrels under my gutter to collect all the rain water and I use it for all my potted plants. I have used these barrels now for 8 years and I have not run out of water all summer. Seems like each time I was close to being dry, it would rain and fill them right back up. Mother Nature will provide.

Now here’s the recipe I threw together for the Tofu Kale Lasagna.

Tofu Kale Lasagna

8×8 Baking Dish

Serves 4 Large Pieces

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Kale
  • No Boil Lasagna Noodles
  • Tofu 1 Container
  • Mozzarella Cheese Balls (optional)
  • Shredded Italian Cheese
  • Seasoning for the Tofu: Italian Garlic Gold Nuggets, Parsley, Salt and Pepper
  • Pasta Sauce
  • Parmesan Cheese Shaker (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press the water out of the Tofu. Crumble with a fork and season with Salt, Pepper, Parsley and Italian Garlic Gold (or any other Italian Seasoning). Mix well. Cover bottom of 8×8 pan with pasta sauce, then a layer of noodles, then spread the tofu mixture over noodles, then a layer of Kale and add some shredded cheese. Repeat the process 3 times. When finished top layer should be pasta sauce topped with shredded cheese or slices of Mozzarella cheese. I used both! I’m cheesy like that.

Bake on 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

I just have fun when making a lasagna. I layer as much as I can depending on the ingredients. One note to stress when making this recipe, make sure you press out all the water from the tofu.

Question of the Day: Meat or Vegetarian Lasagna?

Check Ya Later.

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Double Dose of Kale

Posted in Breakfast, Fitmixer Boot Camp, Kale, Smoothie's, tagged , , , , , , on May 21, 2012 | 3 Comments »

We had amazing weather this weekend. I did so much yard work and gardening. I’m sore, tired and hot. Here’s a few of the eats I enjoyed over the weekend.

This is not my first time adding Kale to a smoothie, a while back I did a post called Keeping Up with Kale.  I enjoy adding greens to my smoothie, you get a nice color and it adds a little texture.

Added to my Fitmixer protein powder, makes a nice think shake.

This is my third kale smoothie this week, yummy.

After blending the kale leaves become tiny flecks.

For dinner I used the rest of the kale for Kale Chips. I used my toaster oven, it works great for small batches, if I have a large batch I use the oven.

Kale Chips

  • Preheat oven to about 375*
  • Tear the leaves off the thick stems into bite size pieces. Spread out on baking sheet
  • Drizzle with about 2 tsp of olive oil
  • Season with your favorite spices
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are brown and kale is crispy
Also roasted up some Tofu and Cauliflower. I love this combo because they can be roasted at the same time. 425* for 25 minutes. We also had a side of Udon noodles.

We ate dinner on the deck again tonight, I love dining outdoors, plus I wanted to take in all the work I had done, I love doing yard work and gardening. I am really excited to pick out all my annual flowers for pots which I plan on planting over the Memorial Day Holiday.  I will be posting a lot of  flower pictures this summer.

Question of the Day: Do you eat outside on nice days?

Check Ya Later.

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Biking, Popchips and the Grill

Posted in Blend Retreat, Breakfast, Fresh Ideas, Kale, Oatmeal, Recap Posts, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 19, 2012 | 13 Comments »

This has been my ride to work for the last week. My husband’s car is in the shop so he has been using mine. So my recreational vehicle has become my main vehicle. I will be the first to admit it, I am a fair weather rider. Well this past week I have ridden in a light sprinkle and 45 degree weather. It was not that bad, but the second I get my car back I am going to rejoice. It’s hard packing all I need for the day in those little side bags. Okay pity part is over.

Oats in a jar or OIAJ, for breakfast.

Added all my favorites, chia seeds, soy milk, nut butter and cinnamon.

Came home to this amazing delight. Popchips sent me a case of there Chili Lime Popchips. I love them, they are such a great company. They were a Blend Retreat sponsor and rewarded any of  the attendees with a 30 day supply for blogging about our experience with popchips. Well that was easy for me, I loved them, I cannot get enough of them.

The chili lime flavor is both spicy hot and sweet, so much flavor, I think  popchips are going to be a staple snack in my house from now on.

Such a satisfying healthy snack. Did I mention that they are all natural flavors and ingredients.

Then I got to dinner. Really excited to try a new recipe for kale.

My little kid, Killian loves him some kale. He loves any green leafy vegetable, well he love all veggies.

Side dish of couscous.

So this recipe for sautéed Kale is easy, it softens it and takes the bitter bite right out.

Cook the onions and garlic with some olive oil, about 5 minutes. Then add the kale and a 1/2 cup of vegetable broth and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes stirring as needed.

Grilled some chicken breasts.

Put it all together and sprinkled with feta cheese, and dig in.

Love eating on the deck, makes the work week fade away.

Here a Greatest Hits Look Back on a series of Kale posts I have done. Sell you on Kale. Accidents Happen.  With a side of Kale.  Pancakes or Eggs. Anticipation. Keeping up with Kale. Also check out a post that my friend Tamara did over at Wild Blue Wonder for Tofu Kale Triangles.

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Question of the Day: How have you used Kale? Or does seeing recipes for Kale make you want to try it?

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Sell You On Kale

Posted in Kale, Prepping, Recipes, Tofu, tagged , , , , on March 22, 2012 | 15 Comments »

So I have a new recipe that I think will Sell You On Kale, if you haven’t already bought into it.

This recipe was so easy to throw together and fun. I loved making the little ravioli’s.

     

I made this two-way, as a wonton ravioli and as a mini bite.

  

  

Dipped in Marinara Sauce, it’s so hot right now.

So here’s the detail on this little recipe.

Kale and Tofu Wonton 2 Ways:

1 Bunch of Kale Torn from the Stem

1 Block of Tofu

1 Clove Garlic

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan

48 Wonton Wrapper

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cooking Spray

Marinara Sauce for Dipping

Directions:

In a large pot of salted water boil the kale until tender, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the kale to a colander. When cool squeeze out excess water and finely chop. In a medium bowl, mash together the kale, the tofu block, the Parmesan cheese and the garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble ravioli, by arranging wonton wrappers on a sprayed cookie sheet. Fill each wrapper with about 1 tsp of  mix.

Wet fingers and run along two sides of the wrapper. Fold over and seal. Spray completed ravioli with cooking spray and Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

(or) Take a mini muffin tin, spray with cooking spray and then line the tin with a wonton wrapper and then fill with about 1 tsp of mix. Lightly spray cooking spray on filled wontons and bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with a side of marinara sauce.

Have I sold you on Kale yet? I’m telling you, you have to try it, it is so good for you. Kale Rules.

Question of the day: Are you sold on Kale?

Check Ya Later.

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Anticipation

Posted in Boot Camp, Fresh Ideas, Grains, Kale, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 4, 2012 | 2 Comments »

Tomorrow I start my Best Body Boot Camp.  I have found myself on several occasions singing and humming the song Anticipation by Carly Simon, I am really excited to get started, so I reviewed the exercises and how the Boot Camp works. Tina did an amazing job setting up this program, it’s obvious the amount of time she put into preparing it. I am so glad I joined, and I look forward to starting the 8 week Boot Camp.

bootcamp_large

So I decided to take today off to rest up for my pending workouts. I plan on doing some stretching and some foam rolling.

This recipe is one that I have always wanted to make. I adapted this recipe from Eating Bird Food.

Homemade Mayan Harvest Bake

Makes 4 Large Servings

Ingredients:

2 Sweet Potatoes, Washed and Diced into 1/2 inch Cubes
1 Bunch of Kale, Cleaned, Destemed and Chopped
1 15 Oz. Can Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed
1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds

Sauce:

1 tbsp. Swanson Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (divided)
1 Onion, Chopped
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
1 15 Oz. Can Diced Tomato’s
1/4 Cup Water
1 tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

Grains:

1/2 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup Farro
2 cups of Water with a Bouillon Cube or Broth Concentrate -or- just use 2 Cups Vegetable Broth

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Toss sweet potatoes in 1/2 tbsp. oil and roast for 20 minutes in a square glass baking dish/pan, stirring once.
  3. While the potatoes are roasting, heat 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil on medium high in a large skillet and saute the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add diced tomato’s, water, and spices (chili powder, paprika, sea salt) into the skillet and let simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce should be on the thicker side, but add more water if you want to thin it out. Stir in black beans.
  4. Heat another skillet over medium, using the other 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil, add the chopped kale, a few tbsp. of water and a bit of sea salt. Let the kale wilt and toss for 5-7 minutes.
  5. Pull roasted sweet potatoes out of the oven and top with cooked kale, and black bean sauce, mix together and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
  6. While it’s baking prepare the grains by putting the quinoa, and the farro, with 2 cups of liquid into a small pot. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  7. Portion out the grains in a crock or on a plate and top with the harvest bake, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve.
Now get to chopping, you need to cut up two sweet potatoes into 1/2 cubes.
This was my first time using coconut oil to saute, I have just recently started using it. I loved trying it in a smoothies, but you don’t get the aroma is gave’s off until you saute with it. It’s lovely.
Sauteing kale softens it and gives it a beautiful shiny glow. It also helps to remove some of the bitterness flavor.
Combine all the ingredients while the quinoa and the farro cook, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Look at how beautiful the quinoa is, I love these little seeds, they have great texture, I also love the chewy bite the farro adds.
Layer the grains, then top with the sweet potato and black bean mix and top with sunflower seeds.
This is such a warm and inviting dish, I really enjoyed it, and my husband also gave it a thumbs up.
My only regret was the fact that I was unable to find plantain’s and pumpkin seeds, like the original recipe called for, but I will keep my eyes open for “Next Time.”
This dish does not lack in flavor, the combination of the sweet potatoes, the chili flavor and black beans blends so well.  It was a time-consuming recipe to build, and I used practically all my pots, pans and utensils, but it was worth it.

Question of the Day: Do you substitute items in recipes with similar items or just omit them?

Check Ya later.

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Pancakes or Eggs

Posted in Eggs, Kale, Oatmeal, Recipes, tagged , , , on March 3, 2012 | 7 Comments »

If you had to choose would you make a pancake or an egg dish for breakfast? Well I could not choose So I made both. Yesterday I picked up some farm fresh eggs and had a Frittata in mind that I wanted to make, but when I woke up I was only thinking about an oatmeal pancake. This works out perfect, the Frittata reheats nicely so Sunday morning breakfast will be ready and waiting.

First off take a look at these eggs. These were provided by my Lovely Ladies. They have started laying their eggs again. They tend to lay less in the winter, but since it’s been so mild this year they are back up and producing.

Here’s what the ingredients look like.

Kale Frittata

Ingredients

  • 6-7 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 cup kale
  • 1/2 cup diced ham (not pictured) (it was a last-minute add-in)
  • 1/4 cup grated cheese
  • Nutritional yeast to shake on the top of Frittata before it goes in the oven
You will also need additional seasoning for the cooking of the onions.
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Note: You MUST use a cast iron skillet or a sauce pan with a metal handle so it can be used on the stove top, and also be placed into the oven.
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until smooth. Whisk 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until evenly blended; set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook and stir until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the kale and the diced ham and let cook an additional 5 minutes.
  3. Remove from the burner and pour in the egg mixture, add the shredded cheese and sprinkle with Nutritional yeast.
  4. Place the skillet into the oven and cook uncovered for 16-20 minutes or until it is golden brown and the center of the Frittata has set. Remove from the oven, and let stand 3 minutes before serving.
I just love the way the Kale brightens up while it cooks, it gets such a deep green color.
Once the egg mix is added I pop it in the oven and let it do its thing for 16-20 minutes.
Once the edges start to get crispy I know the Frittata is ready to come out of the oven.
This is an easy no fuss meal that is loaded with protein.
The Frittata was then boxed up and put in the fridge for tomorrows breakfast and I got on to making my Oatmeal pancake.
Instant Oatmeal Pancakes, are easy and super filling. The entire process takes about 10 minutes. Plus there is little cleanup after.
Here’s what the ingredients look like.
Mix and mash, then add egg substitute.

Ingredients:

  • 1 packet instant oatmeal (any flavor)
  • ½ banana , mashed
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon Swanson Organic Cinnamon
  • 1⁄3 cup Egg Beaters egg substitute

Directions:

  • Mix and combine all ingredients.
  • Pour into non-stick skillet and when you shake the pan and the pancake moves, it’s time to flip.
  • Brown on both sides
Once I see the bubbles, I know it’s time to flip, I actually did a flip!
Top with the other 1/2 of banana, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and drizzle with agave nectar.
You will not regret making this, it is very taste.
So now I am off to get in a workout, I have a 40 minute elliptical resistance workout waiting for me. Happy Saturday and tomorrow I have a great recipe to share with you, hope you come back to see it.
Question of the day: Have you ever used agave nectar? I am a huge fan! 
Check Ya Later.

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