Squash It

I bought a squash - looked like an acorn, but it was all yellow. The label said Swan Winter Acorn and as I google, I find it is also called White Swan Acorn Squash. The link goes to a web page with a picture of what my squash looked like.

So thinking I'd go simple tonight.

Cook the squash in microwave, scoop out the seeds and then scoop out the flesh.


Steam 1+ cup of kale (ripped up).

Put the squash on top of the kale and served with a little sauce.

Mix to your desire and pour over the squash/kale:
- Hoisin sauce
- wine
- balsamic vinegar
- soy sauce lite

When all was done, I used about 2 tbsp. of this sauce mix.

Top it all with 1 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese.

Rated a 4.5 on the Kale Scale.

Date with a Pepper

Decided I needed to actually eat food, not just drink my kale tonight. I was inspired by the yellow pepper that should have been in my lunch, but wasn't because I got up too late to make my lunch. The inclusion of the dates - just a hunch in the moment.  The sherry simmer, plus the dates and ginger made for a unique flavor. Very nice!

Saute
2 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, cut up
1.25 tsp raw ginger, peeled and sliced thin

Add and continue sauté
1 yellow pepper, cut up
4 dates, cut up
3 slices lean Canadian bacon, cut up
1/8 tsp each of chili powder, ground cumin
1/4 tsp each of ground cinnamon, ground pepper, Mrs Dash

Add and simmer
1 oz cooking sherry

Steam for 2 minutes in microwave
1 cup kale, ripped up to bite size

While kale steams, fry
1 egg in the middle of the pan with the veggies

Serve the egg and veggies on top of the steamed kale.

Rated a 4.64 on the Kale Scale.

Cherry Pineapple Kale Smoothie

Used raw pineapple I had from Whole Foods. And some cherries from a Washington farm, sold locally by Pablo Munoz farms, a local Dayton area establishment. They sell the best strawberries, but I am saving those for my breakfasts. As I noted before, citrus and grapes seem to provide the best naturally sweet base for kale drinks. I thought pineapple and cherry would be outstanding. Hmmm... ok, but not with a wow-factor.

Blend together:

1+ cup of kale, ripped up
1 cup skim milk
1 cup, raw pineapple, cut up
16 cherries, pitted
1/2 tsp raw ginger, peeled, cut up

Serve and enjoy!

Rated a 4.61 on the Kale Scale.

Tipsy Kale

After sauteing the veggies and fruit, I decided to simmer in wine for a bit. And when I was ready to steam the kale, I spritzed it with 2 tsp of wine.  It all worked well!  The one thing I'd do differently is to leave out the tomatoes, and up the number of apricots. The apricot was actually an after thought when it looked like I needed more veggies for the amount of kale I ripped up. All in all, a fine side for a Sunday salmon dinner.

Saute

This is a fully packed cup o' kale and then some.

2 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, cut up (sweet Walla Walla onion)
2 tsp raw ginger, cut up fine

Add and continue saute
9 grape tomatoes, halved
1 apricot, cut up

Simmer, uncovered about 2 minutes, with
2 oz white wine

Cover with steam lid, and steam in microwave, about 2 minutes

1+ cup Kale, ripped up
2 tsp white wine, sprinkled around on the kale

Serve with cut up cilantro garnish and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Rated a 4.58 on the Kale Scale.

Vitamix Orange Kale

After I put the fruit and veg in the Vitamix, I noticed it was all orange food. The end result still came out green - I guess that's the power of kale!  I find that citrus alone fails to make for real yummy kale drink. Thus the rating below 4.5. But, it is still good. Grapes and citrus have made the best base for a kale blender drink, so far.

Mix in blender:

1 cup milk
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
1 carrot, cut up
1 apricot, cut up
1 cup+ kale, ripped up

Serve!

Rated a 4.48 on the Kale Scale

Kale Caper

It is cold, rainy, stormy in the 50s. Like a nice winter day - but, it's spring! This calls for a warm dinner.  Inspired by some Canadian Bacon and capers that I had in the 'fridge.  This hit the spot for this cool blustery evening.

Saute:
2 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp raw ginger, cut up fine

Add and continue saute:
3 slices lean canadian bacon (the kind that gets you 60 cals for 60 grams of bacon)
8 grape tomatoes, halved

Add and scramble:
1 egg, beaten
3 tsp capers

While the egg cooks, steam:
1 cup kale

To serve:
- put the steamed kale on plate
- top with the scramble mix
- add a dash or worcestershire sauce

Rated a 4.85 on the Kale Scale

Truberry Kale

Here is another Kale-by-Vitamix drink. So simple to make and clean up!  I received a jar of Trueberry drink powder as a gift - usually used to mix with water. I thought it would work well in this blend, and it did.

Put in Vitamix and blend:

1 older banana
1 cup pineapple, cut up
3/4 cup watermelon, cut up
1 cup non-fat milk
1/4 cup non-fat yogurt, plain
1 scoop Trueberry powder
1.3 cups kale, ripped up

Rated a 4.68 on the Kale Scale.

Pear with Gouda Kale Salad

A simple side salad for my salmon dinner.  The salad was delicious!

Mix, toss, layer - make a salad with:

1+ C   kale, ripped to bite size pieces
1   red pear, cored, cut up (keep the peel on)
1 oz   smoked gouda cheese, diced
9 sprigs  cilantro

Serve with:

2 Tbsp  Fig Balsamic Dressing (Cindy's Kitchen for Whole Foods)


Rated a 4.68 on the Kale Scale.

Vitamix with Hemp

Went on a search for protein powder for my smoothies, and this is the only one at the store that didn't have added sugar or fake sweeteners - Bob's Red Mill Hemp Protein Powder.

Blend and drink:

25 grapes
1/2 cup pineapple, raw and cut up
1+ cup kale, ripped up
2 oz Danon vanilla non-fat yogurt
2 oz milk, non fat
3 Tbsp Hemp Protein Powder

Rated a 4.65 on the Kale Scale.

Sunchokes and Kale

Sunchoke, Jerusalem artichoke ... something new for me. This mish mash started with the 'chokes and then I remembered the asparagus that needed to be used; and the snow peas; and then the pineapple.. and so on. The meal worked ok, but not my favorite.

Saute
1.5 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, chopped
2 sunchokes, sliced thin

Add and continue saute
5 spears of asparagus, cut up
6 snow peas, cut up
1/3 cup pineapple, cut up
1 Tbsp fig basalmic vinegar
1 oz wine
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp Mrs Dash

Add, cover, wilt
1+ cup kale, ripped up to bite size pieces
1-2 Tbps liquid

Create a spot in the middle of the pan
Fry one egg

Serve with a dash of worcestershire sauce.

Rated a 3.99 on the Kale Scale.

Thai Carrot Soup With Kale

This is almost cheating - but it was very good!  RTE (ready to eat) soup from Whole Foods buffet. Thai Carrot Soup. Deee licious. Spicy too. I brought home about 2 cups, heated it up with 1+ cups of Kale ripped to bite size pieces.  No nutrition count on this one.


Rated a 4.56 on the Kale Scale.