Apparently green is the new black... January is the traditional time for reflection, renewal of purpose and tied in with that are all of the resolutions for improved health and fitness. It's all good!
Buzzword = KALE!
Wondering if any of you have tried Kale Chips? A bit of buzz among my fitness connections on this one... will have to try it out. I am thinking it may go the way of yams and yam fries in my house -- can't fill the void now that my kids have developed the taste for the healthy, oven baked french fry replacement - hard to squirrel away a few to take for lunch the next day; actually impossible :) Anyway, I love kale and I am thinking this could be a nice, quick and healthy side to a meal of baked pickerel (walleye) mmmmm...
I first got into kale one winter when I began to have problems with nose bleeds. I suspected they were are result of the dry, cold winter (it was December) but I had never had nose bleeds before, and they kept on starting up (a tad inconvenient at work, and a bit scary for me personally), and so I went to see my doctor as a precaution. She advised me to increase my intake of dark leafy greens to get more Vitamin K - an important nutrient for blood clotting. A week or so of adding spinach and kale to my daily diet and voila, no nose bleeds since (over three years).
So that was my introduction to kale. I would stir fry it in a small amount of olive oil, season with sea salt and pepper and splash with a bit of wine vinegar for variety. I also incorporated chopped kale in place of beet greens in my borscht (the beet greens were not nice in the store at that time of year). For those of you unfamiliar with kale, it is slightly rubbery in texture as compared to spinach greens, and the taste is very mild; slightly cabbage-y.
While comparing kale chip recipes online, I also found a great, free nutritional analysis site where you can look at different foods. What I like about this site is that it functions quickly and also provides values for the raw food, versus cooked variations. ((http://www.nutritiondata.self.com/)) Check it out!
Kale Chips
Ingredients:
6-8 ounce bunch of fresh kale
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp. apple cider or red wine vinegar
Method:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash kale and separate leaves into 2-1/2" morsels ("chip" sized!). Dry kale thoroughly on paper towels or in a salad spinner. Place kale in a large Ziploc bag, add in the oil and gently toss and massage the kale pieces through the bag to evenly distribute the oil. Place the leaves in a baking dish and distribute so that all leaves are exposed evenly. Bake for 25-35 minutes, depending on desired crispness.
Sprinkle baked chips with salt (and pepper, if desired) and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Hope you will try and enjoy xo!
Showing posts with label green eggs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green eggs. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sunday, January 17, 2010
January 17, 2010
Newness!
Two weeks into 2010 -- glad to leave the cement boots that were "2009 issue" in the dumpster and moooove things along :) We have been experiencing unusually mild weather conditions this winter on the Canadian prairie -- bravo El Nino, we appreciate the break!
Typically our January weather is the peak of coldness and average temps are in the minus 30-40 Celsius range. Yesterday it was plus 2 or 3 Celsius! When it is cold I just want to hibernate -- even though I was born here and my ancestors on both sides of the family came to Canada in the 1880's, I just can't take the severe cold; I just find it demoralizing and immobilizing!
Healthy Living = Happiness
The cold combined with a stagnant/depressed economy is not a great mix, to say the very least. We are also finding (in the work world) that basic courtesies, appreciation and loyalty are scarce and cannot be counted on -- where is the honour? Are you experiencing this also? I would love to hear your take on things and your ways of coping, moving things along.
What I am finding amid this uncertainty and mistrust, is that the security of self is emphasized. Of course we all know this at a core level, but ultimately we can only rely on ourselves and can only control our personal reaction to things/events in our respective environments.
I am focusing on these goals for 2010 - growth, renewal, assurance of self and to maintain joy, positivity in the face of any and all negativity, opposition and fickle behaviours. I hope that you also will find a way to not only be productive and joyful, but to grow and thrive in this difficult, mercurial environment.
A great support to maintaining this course is to choose healthy foods and activities -- too often in my life, as a woman and as a mother, I have acquiesced, editing myself and my needs at times to almost extinction. I will no longer "go there". In particular, the past six months have allowed no time for some of my loves: belly dance, walking outdoors (the tread mill is sooooo soul sucking!) and guitar/African drums/music.
In the last few weeks of 2009 I was trying in earnest to follow a healthy diet that allowed for more carbohydrates, versus the Atkins-styled high protein/low carb eating plan that had been so beneficial for me. Unfortunately, I am just finding that with even a modest increase in carbs, I bloat and become more sluggish (this is amplified by the cold weather and short days) -- also, if I have some carbs, even healthy/high fibre/low sugar selections, it soon becomes a downward spiral common to the carb-addicted where I begin to want more and more carbs and I experience sugar cravings.
Suiting Up!
So... back to low carb for this lady! I am looking forward to fitting into some jackets (...and one darling grey pant suit in particular) this spring/summer. I will emerge from the ice and snow like a shimmering butterfly from the chrysalis!
I would also like to share a personal recipe for you. It is quick, low carb and high fibre and it was an experiment that worked out well :). Here it is... and "no", it has nothing to do with Dr. Seuss!
Pam's Green Eggs
3 hard boiled eggs
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise or peppercorn ranch salad dressing
salt, pepper and dill weed to your taste
Approximately one cup of broccoli florets
Place all ingredients in a food chopper or processor and blend to a spreadable consistency. Great in a flax or whole wheat tortilla as a wrap sandwich, or served on a small bed of mixed salad greens.
Enjoy!
Two weeks into 2010 -- glad to leave the cement boots that were "2009 issue" in the dumpster and moooove things along :) We have been experiencing unusually mild weather conditions this winter on the Canadian prairie -- bravo El Nino, we appreciate the break!
Typically our January weather is the peak of coldness and average temps are in the minus 30-40 Celsius range. Yesterday it was plus 2 or 3 Celsius! When it is cold I just want to hibernate -- even though I was born here and my ancestors on both sides of the family came to Canada in the 1880's, I just can't take the severe cold; I just find it demoralizing and immobilizing!
Healthy Living = Happiness
The cold combined with a stagnant/depressed economy is not a great mix, to say the very least. We are also finding (in the work world) that basic courtesies, appreciation and loyalty are scarce and cannot be counted on -- where is the honour? Are you experiencing this also? I would love to hear your take on things and your ways of coping, moving things along.
What I am finding amid this uncertainty and mistrust, is that the security of self is emphasized. Of course we all know this at a core level, but ultimately we can only rely on ourselves and can only control our personal reaction to things/events in our respective environments.
I am focusing on these goals for 2010 - growth, renewal, assurance of self and to maintain joy, positivity in the face of any and all negativity, opposition and fickle behaviours. I hope that you also will find a way to not only be productive and joyful, but to grow and thrive in this difficult, mercurial environment.
A great support to maintaining this course is to choose healthy foods and activities -- too often in my life, as a woman and as a mother, I have acquiesced, editing myself and my needs at times to almost extinction. I will no longer "go there". In particular, the past six months have allowed no time for some of my loves: belly dance, walking outdoors (the tread mill is sooooo soul sucking!) and guitar/African drums/music.
In the last few weeks of 2009 I was trying in earnest to follow a healthy diet that allowed for more carbohydrates, versus the Atkins-styled high protein/low carb eating plan that had been so beneficial for me. Unfortunately, I am just finding that with even a modest increase in carbs, I bloat and become more sluggish (this is amplified by the cold weather and short days) -- also, if I have some carbs, even healthy/high fibre/low sugar selections, it soon becomes a downward spiral common to the carb-addicted where I begin to want more and more carbs and I experience sugar cravings.
Suiting Up!
So... back to low carb for this lady! I am looking forward to fitting into some jackets (...and one darling grey pant suit in particular) this spring/summer. I will emerge from the ice and snow like a shimmering butterfly from the chrysalis!
I would also like to share a personal recipe for you. It is quick, low carb and high fibre and it was an experiment that worked out well :). Here it is... and "no", it has nothing to do with Dr. Seuss!
Pam's Green Eggs
3 hard boiled eggs
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise or peppercorn ranch salad dressing
salt, pepper and dill weed to your taste
Approximately one cup of broccoli florets
Place all ingredients in a food chopper or processor and blend to a spreadable consistency. Great in a flax or whole wheat tortilla as a wrap sandwich, or served on a small bed of mixed salad greens.
Enjoy!
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