And we thought Kale couldn't get any kooler...

A New Year brings tons of "news". New goals, new plans, new hobbies and passions and re-newed commitment. 

How about a new veggie? 

Did you know the last hybrid veggie developed was Broccolini back in 1993? It's been over a decade, but, thanks to Tozer Seeds, a vegetable breeding company out of the UK, there's a new green on the block. 

Love Kale?

Love Brussels Sprouts?

Kale + Brussels Sprouts = your new favorite green veggie

 Introducing...Kalettes!

Cross-bred in England, and introduced to the US last fall, Kalettes are finally making a real debut. After 15 years of development inspired by the desire to create a kale-type vegetable that was versatile, easy to prepare, and good looking, Kalettes have arrived and are blooming with the best flavors of kale and brussels.

You can prepare Kalettes easily-- try roasting them (the outer leaves crisp up like lake chips while the stalk stays tender and mildly sweet!) or shred them (to throw in a salad) or simply sauté in olive oil to eat alone or to add to your favorite dishes.

You can now find them at Trader Joes (look for "Kale Sprouts") or in your local produce section. And if you want to grow Kalettes yourself, seeds will be available for small farmers and individual gardeners in the near future. 

And we thought kale couldn't get any kooler....

Learn more:

http://modernfarmer.com/2014/05/make-worlds-trendiest-vegetable/

http://www.kalettes.com

Yummy Garden Ministrone Soup with Kale!

Today I was inspired by beautiful veggies I purchased at the Farmer's Market on Wednesday and I wanted to share one of my favorite ways to use my fresh veggies to make a dish I can eat all week long. :) This soup includes more than 2 servings of muscle-protecting, antioxidant-packed veggies! It's great to support your healthy lifestyle and refuel you after hard core Pilates workouts!

Originally found in Men's Journal, I've tweaked this soup to make it leaner and tastier, while keeping 16 grams of protein per serving!

Try out my version of this recipe below and let me know what you think!

Garden Minestrone Soup with Kale:

What you need:

- one 14 ½ oz. can of diced tomatoes with juice

- one 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (rinsed, drained)

- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

- 1 large carrot (chopped)

- 3 celery stalks, more if desired (chopped)

- half of a sweet onion (chopped)

- 3 garlic cloves, more or less, depending on your preference (crushed)

- 2 cups baby kale (or any type of kale!)

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 handful fresh basil (to throw on top at the end)

What to do:

-Combine all of the ingredients (except for the kale, salt and pepper, and basil) in a large pot and bring to a boil.

-Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 40 minutes.

-Add the kale and cook for about 10 more minutes.

-Season with salt, pepper, and fresh basil on top.

-Enjoy!!

(This soup keeps in the fridge easily, and is a quick and healthy lunch to bring to work for the whole week!)

Nutritional Info: 282 calories per serving, 5 grams of fat, 55 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams of dietary fiber, 16 grams protein

Not Your Regular Pesto

Happy healthy Friday! Today I thought I’d share a recipe that has become an easy and healthy go-to for me: Kale Pesto! Using kale instead of basil creates a homemade pesto that is just as tasty as the classic, but even healthier. This recipe is really easy to make and uses just a few simple ingredients. Plus, it’s a great way to get in your extra greens.  Use this pesto in your favorite pasta recipes, or even substitute it in lasagna or a chicken dish.

What you’ll need:

food processor

½ cup of pin nuts

2 cups of fresh kale (firmly packed, I also remove the large stems, which is optional)

2-3 cloves of garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons to ½ cup of olive oil (depending on the desired consistency)

What to do:

           

Place the pin nuts in a dry skillet, and toast, shaking occasionally until the nuts are golden brown, about 3 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the pine nuts!)

Place the garlic cloves in the food processor and pulse until they are minced.

Add the kale to the food processor, then add in the toasted pine nuts, and then the salt and pepper. Pulse until the kale is finely chopped.

Add the cheese, and pulse until cheese is incorporated evenly. (Be careful not to over pulse, the pesto should stay a little chunky.)

Drizzle in some of the olive oil and pulse. Continue to add olive oil and pulse until the pesto reaches the desired consistency.

Enjoy!

What I like to do is combine sun dried tomatoes, olives, steamed broccoli and some chicken into a bowl of whole-wheat fusilli pasta, and toss everything together with the pesto for a delicious and nutritious meal.

Please share with me how your pesto comes out and include any variations you may have made in the comment section below. I’d love to hear how you like it! You’ll be surprised at how many dishes you can whip up using this twist on the classic pesto.

BECOME A GREEN GODDESS

I absolutely love green juice.  I have blogged about it before, but I can't help it...I just love it that much!

  I try and incorporate it into my life daily.  Today I want to share with you some of my favorite green juice combinations for you to try to make at home.

First lets talk about green juice benefits:

-increases nutrients

-low calorie (keeping fruit minimal)

-easy way to get more veggies into your diet

-being able to drink your nutrients, it gives your digestive system a chance to rest

-buids and replenish red blood cells aka there is a of chlorophyll in green veggies

-contains lots of antioxidants which is ideal for keeping cancer away

-boosts energy levels

-and many many more benefits

Some Green Goodies

(typical staples in green juices are spinach, kale, celery, and cucumber)

Basic

-Handfuls of Spinach

-5-6 stalks celery

-1 apple

-1 cucumber

Spicy

-handful spinach

-bunch of kale (no stems)

-juice of one lemon

-cayenne pepper

-thumb size knob of ginger

Banish Toxins

-bunch parsely

-couple handfuls spinach

-1 apple

-1 lemon juice

-knob ginger

Morning

-carrots

-OJ

-lemon

-ginger

-celery

-cucumber

The options are endless...get crazy and experiment with your greens.  Your body will thank you!