Today I am going to start you off with a recipe on the lighter side of things with a winter green salad. I was inspired by The Chalkboard Magazine‘s Winter Greens and Walnut Salad, so I made a version of it. Read below for both The Chalkboard Magazine and my version of a winter kale salad!
The Chalkboard Magazine‘s Winter Greens and Walnut Salad:
Salad Ingredients:
1 large head kale, stalks removed and thinly sliced
1 ⁄2 head Swiss chard, stalks removed and thinly sliced
1–2 tablespoons olive oil or walnut oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch of salt
1 apple (preferably gala), cored and chopped or shaved on mandolin
1 cup Inca berries or golden raisins, chopped
Massage kale and Swiss chard with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt to break down the fibers
Once the salad is wilted, toss in apple and Inca berries
Seasoned Walnut Ingredients:
1 ⁄2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 ⁄2 tablespoon olive oil or walnut oil
1 ⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Toss walnuts with thyme, oil, salt and pepper. Toss walnuts with salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired
Serves 4-6
My Winter Green Salad:
4 Cups Romaine Lettuce, chopped
4 Cups Kale, shredded
4 Stalks Celery, chopped
1 Cup Broccoli, chopped
2 Apples, diced
Toasted walnuts to garnish
Juice of 2 Lemons
1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, and Onion Powder to taste
Chicken (optional)
Whisk apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and spices in bowl to combine
Add first five ingredients on top of dressing mixture and toss to coat all ingredients
Set aside, covered for 10-15 minutes to wilt lettuce and cabbage
Plate and top with walnut and chicken, if desired
This salad was healthy, filling, and delicious! Perfect for a pre-Saint Patrick’s Day weekend!
For those of you wondering why you should add kale to your diet, read these 7 reasons from Drew Canole of FitLife.tv (article HERE)
1. Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene is an antioxidant which helps to build the body’s immune system. An antioxidant helps neutralize free radicals and helps prevent molecules from oxidizing. One cup of cooked kale has about 5.8 mg of beta-carotene (Barone et. al, 2002). Beat-carotene is also important because it’s a precursor for the production of vitamin A. When we get adequate amounts of vitamin A, we have healthier skin, a stronger immune system, and it helps with vision as well.
2. Calcium
According to Organicauthority.com, kale contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is also easier to absorb. Calcium is important in preventing osteoporosis, preventing bone loss, and helps maintain a healthy metabolism. Remember to get enough vitamin D, since it helps with the absorption of calcium.
3. Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a type of pigment that provides kale it’s deep green color. There are many benefits of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll aids in gastrointestinal problems, promotes the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells, has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, and it also helps with bad breath. Chlorophyll also aids in absorbing the odor of garlic. So many people don’t like juicing garlic because of the smell and after odor, if you wrap parsley or kale around a garlic clove and then feed it into the juicer, the chlorophyll actually absorbs the odor of the garlic. Chlorophyll is a great detoxifier as well, so add kale and other dark leafy greens to your juice.
4. Folate
Kale contains folate which is an important B vitamin. Folate also prevents certain birth defects and is important for normal brain development of unborn babies. Folate is has anticancer properties and is important in maintaining a healthy heart.
5. Isothiocyanates
Ever wonder why kale and other greens have a pungent taste? Well they contain a compound called isothiocyanate. This compound helps in preventing hormone based cancers and inhibit cancerous elements from in smoke.
6. Lutein & Zeaxanthin
These carotenoids are helpful in preventing macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the number one cause of blindness in the elderly.
7. Vitamin K
Vitamin k is important in bone building and has anti-clotting abilities. Due to it’s anti-clotting abilities, vitamin K may interfere with certain medications, thus check with your doctor if kale is right for you!
Add more kale to your daily consumption. Add it to your juice, sautéed it with some coconut oil (check out the benefits of coconut oil by clicking here), make kale chips, steam it or just eat it raw!
Okay, enough of the healthy talk. Here are a few great recipes for you to try on your Saint Patrick’s Day menu this weekend. Most of these recipes are under the radar or not your typical Saint Patrick’s day recipes. But, I figured I would give you more options Enjoy.
Refresh-ZING Shamrock:
1.5 oz ZING Vodka
5 Cucumber chunks (approximately 1 oz juice)
1 Basil Leaf
Splash of Lime Juice
Muddle cucumber and basil
Add vodka and lime juice
Shake and serve garnished with a cucumber
Lucky ZING:
1.5 oz. ZING Vodka
.25 oz. Lime Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. Grapefruit juice
3 Basil Leaves
Muddle lime and basil
Add Vodka, simple syrup, and grapefruit juice
Shake and serve garnished with a basil leaf
Lamb, Fig, and Olive Stew:
(recipe courtesy HERE, courtesy RecipeRehab.com)
8 ounces lamb, ground – lean
1 teaspoon oil, olive, extra virgin
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/4 cup wine, dry red
14 ounces broth, beef, less sodium
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 medium tomato(es), plum – diced
1/4 cup figs, dried – chopped
2 tablespoons olives, green, pitted – chopped
1/8 teaspoon pepper, black ground
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh – chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat
Add lamb and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes
Transfer the lamb to a sieve set over a bowl to drain; discard the fat
Wipe out the pan; add oil and heat over medium-high
Add 2 tablespoons garlic and herbes de Provence and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds
Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute
Stir together broth and cornstarch in a small bowl
Add to the pan, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly
Add tomatoes, figs, olives and pepper and return to a simmer, stirring often
Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, about 5 minutes
Add the reserved lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes
Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl
Serve the stew topped with the parsley mixture
Red Potato Colcannon:
(traditional Irish dish that mainly consists of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage)
(recipe courtesy HERE, courtesy RecipeRehab.com)
1 pound potato(es), red – small, scrubbed and cut in half
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup onion(s) – thinly sliced
6 cups cabbage, green – thinly sliced, (about 1/2 head)
1 cup milk, lowfat (1%)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, white
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven
Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes
Transfer to a large bowl and cover to keep warm
Meanwhile, heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat
Add onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes
Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage begins to brown, about 5 minutes
Reduce heat to low
Stir in milk, salt and white pepper; cover and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 8 minutes
Add the cabbage mixture to the potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or a large fork to desired consistency
Don’t forget visit last year’s posts for a great Saint Patrick’s Day recipes.
Corned Beef and Cabbage and Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots HERE
Bailey’s Cocoa Cupcakes HERE
Breakfast Corned Beef and Egg Hash HERE (one of my all-time favorite recipes that I have cooked)
Take my poll below and tell me what you are most excited to eat or drink during the Saint Patrick’s Day Holiday!
Stay hungry and stay safe this weekend!
In other news, good luck to all of those crazy people running in the LA Marathon this weekend!
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