First things first, #soulwork in the kitchen:
Song I've Been Singin': Old Soul by the Highwomen
Quote I've Been Feelin': "I used to dislike being sensitive. I thought it made me weak. But take away that single trait, and you take away the very essence of who I am. You take away my conscience, my ability to empathize, my intuition, my creativity, my deep appreciation for the little things, my deep awareness of others' pain, and my passion for it all." -Caitlin Japa
"Dang. This tastes so much better than it looks. You should let people know that." - Zach
Zach & I both crave this kale salad, I first made it this summer and it truly is one of the easiest recipes, and kale is easy to eat when it's dressed in deliciousness.
Quick Lesson on Kale:
It's one of those green vegetables that's been around since forever, but has recently been born again. There's a reason your granny told you to eat your kale!
1 C of raw kale (...which is kind of hard to measure!) provides:
Vitamin A: 206% DV
Vitamin K: 684% DV
Vitamin C: 134% DV
Vitamin B6: 9% DV
Manganese: 26% DV
Calcium: 9% DV
Copper: 10% DV
Potassium: 9% DV
Magnesium: 6% DV
It also contains small amounts of vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus.
Along with the vitamins and minerals, it has powerful antioxidant properties which help our bodies fight off disease and protect our eyes, skin, and hair. Kale has also been shown to be helpful with lowering cholesterol.
This is ALL in 33 calories.
To sum it up, this is a nutritional bang for your buck.
Each bite of kale is going into your body and helping it work & feel better.
*DV = Daily Value, DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers determine the level of various nutrients in a standard serving of food in relation to their approximate requirement for it (NIH).
Ok, Now... Here's my favorite kale salad!
Kale Caesar Salad:
What you need:
-3 bunches kale, it doesn't matter what type of kale! Sometimes I grab the purple kale for a pop of color
-2 tsp. kosher salt
-1 loaf whole grain, ready-to-bake bread, I chose this Simple Truth bread
-2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
-2 tsp. kosher salt
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1/4 tsp. black pepper (A few turns of cracked pepper...)
-8 oz. cherry tomatoes
What you do:
1. Wash yo' hands!
2. Preheat oven to 400F, then grab a baking sheet, a large salad bowl, and a large non-stick skillet (cast iron skillets are the best!).
3. Take bread and cut into cubes, place on baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Take large skillet and set it on stovetop- Turn heat to medium.
5. Wash kale thoroughly, lay on paper/cloth towel and pat dry. Rip leaves from the stem. Discard stem. Shred kale leaves with hands to bite-size pieces (you may also use a knife and chop kale).
6. Once all kale is bite-sized, throw into the heated skillet with a pinch of kosher salt. (You will most likely need to do this in multiple batches, unless you have a VERY large skillet.) Cook kale until it is softened, not wilted, volume is reduced to about 1/2 and edges may be slightly crisped; this only takes about 2 minutes. Add each cooked batch to a large salad bowl.
7. Place bowl in fridge to let the kale cool.
8. Take those cherry tomatoes and wash them, then cut them in 1/2.
9. Take bowl of kale out of the fridge, toss in tomatoes, pour entire bottle of dressing, and add baked croutons. Feel free to add another pinch of kosher salt or another few cranks of cracked black pepper.
10. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
ENJOY!
For an extra boost of protein, top with a piece of fish or chicken. I chose cod this week, but simply swap for another meat if you'd like.
Skillet Cod:
-4 servings of cod filets, thawed
-1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
-3 tsp. Dizzy Pig Seasoning | Can use salt and pepper... Or, any meat seasoning.
1. Take filets, and drizzle olive oil over each piece. Sprinkle seasoning. Rub in on each side of filet, for each piece.
2. In cast iron skillet, over medium heat, cook each side of filet for 8-10 minutes. Until there's no pink & fish is firm to touch (Or, you can pull out a handy dandy food thermometer and make sure internal temp is130F).
3. Throw on top of salad.
This meal is complete with: Heart-healthy unsaturated fat from fish, seeds in multigrain bread, and dressing, complex carbohydrates and fiber from the kale, tomatoes, and multigrain bread, protein from the cod, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals! The balance of nutrients in this meal promotes a good blood sugar response, aids metabolism of nutrients, and promotes meal satisfaction.
Oh, and it tastes good!
Video of making this salad, it's easier than it sounds- I promise! You can do it, and if you mess up -- Just add more of something until it tastes right. :) #Cooking
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