Happy, healthy 2021 to you all! It’s that time again when we all make our New Year’s resolutions.
While 2020 was a tough year for all for many reasons, we will start this new year filled with hopes for better times, staying safe, free from illness, and spending time with family again.
Oftentimes, our New Year’s resolutions revolve around health and wellness. Whatever your goals are, keep them realistic and attainable by taking baby steps. Dr. B has some great ideas for keeping your goals real—check out our blog post on The Power of Small Changes for more.
Giving Kale a Try
We are starting this first month of 2021 with kale recipes. Don’t write off kale … it is a nutrition superstar, packed with vitamins A, K, B6, and C, as well as copper, potassium, and magnesium. It is a diabetic- and weight-friendly vegetable low in calories (1 cup is only 33 calories), and it is low in carbs (7 grams). Kale is also packed with antioxidants like spinach is. Additionally, this powerful green can be sautéed, baked into chips, mixed into power shakes, or eaten as a delicious salad.
There are so many options. So, if you have never tried kale, give it a try for the new year! If you love kale like me, I hope you’ll enjoy the variety of recipes I will provide this month.
To a happy, healthy 2021 … and of course, healthy eating!
Melissa
P.S. I’ve been going crazy with my air fryer … it is a game changer for crispy, low-calorie veggies. So yummy! More to come on this fun kitchen gadget.
Kale Chips
• Common curly kale
• Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale
• Tuscan kale
• Ornamental kale, used primarily as garnish
• Red Russian kale, also known as Ragged Jack—it's supposed to be sweeter and more tender than common kale
• Chinese kale, also called Chinese broccoli, kailaan or gai lan, and can be substituted for broccoli in many recipes
• Siberian kale, which is twice as big and not a popular variety
• Redbor kale, ornamental and edible; its deep purple leaves make it a great plant for an ornamental garden
Did you know that there were so many varieties? I have tried three of them so far. I go for the more popular ones, mostly the common kale. For your kale chips, I'm providing two seasoning ideas you can use ... Don't worry if you don't have an ingredient. Leave it out or substitute! Be creative!
Ingredients
Basic Seasoned Kale Chips
- 2 bunches curly kale You can use other types of kale, your choice.
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion pepper
- 1 tsp Oil Optional.
- Himalayan Pink Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper To taste.
Spicy, Cheesy, Italian-Flavored Kale Chips
- 1/4 cup Soaked Cashews Soak in warm water for 1-2 hours.
- 1/2 whole Red pepper Seeded, cut up.
- 3 Tbsp Braggs Nutritional Yeast
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder Add more based on your taste.
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder Add more based on your taste.
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and pepper To taste.
Instructions
- There are several ways to make kale chips. Use an air fryer, dehydrator, or bake them in a low-temperature oven.
- Wash kale well by submerging each whole leaf in water with a little baking soda and salt to be sure to get all the pesticides and pests off the kale. (You'll see the debris left in your sink after soaking and rinsing.)
- Rinse several times, then dry well. Lay leaves in a single layer on a paper towel or on kitchen towels. Pat dry on both sides or roll up in towels to remove excess water.
- I used a salad spinner as well once the excess water was removed and the leaves were removed from the stem.
- To remove the leaves from the stem, you can either: • Use a paring knife to cut along the stem on both sides. OR • My preferred method: use your fingers to pull the leaves off as you drag your fingers down the stem.
- Preheat oven to 275-300 degrees.
- Prepare the seasoning you choose by placing all ingredients in a bowl. Coat the broken-up kale leaves with the seasoning mix by working through them with your hands. Try to get the leaves as consistently uniform as possible as they will bake more evenly.
- For Spicy, Cheesy Italian-Flavored Kale Chips Place all ingredients in a Magic Bullet and blend well until it resembles a sauce. (So delicious! You can use as a salad dressing as well.) Pour the sauce over the torn kale and blend well with your hands. If you are using a dehydrator, you can use more sauce as it drys so it will have more flavor. 1 tbsp ACV Salt to taste
- Layer parchment paper or a silicone pad on a lipped cookie sheet, then place the seasoned kale pieces with some space in between so heat can circulate.
- Bake for 20 minutes or so, checking to be sure the kale chips are not under- or over-cooked. They should be nice and crispy. Once cooled, place them in a well-sealed container to keep fresh if you don't eat them in one sitting!
