Super food Kale

So every week I want to highlight a super food that our family is trying. This week it’s kale! You can see the recipes that I posted below. I always put kale in my smoothies or protein shakes. I love kale chips which are super easy to make as well. Recently while I was at true foods kitchen I had an amazing kale salad!  One thing I do when I buy kale is wash it right away and then chop it in my ninja blender and put it in ice cube trays. Then when I make a smoothie I put a few ice cube kale blocks into my smoothie. In the picture above is a tower garden that I sell through Juice Plus+ it’s an amazing way to grow veggies such as Kale in your back yard, even if you are like me and have no back yard! 

 Here are 10 health benefits of Kale from Allison Lewis at Mind, Body, Green. 

Kale is being called “the new beef”, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.” Here are ten great benefits of adding more kale to your diet:

 

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

 

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

 

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

 

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

 

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

 

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

 

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

 

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

 

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

 

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

Here are some recipes for kale chips and the fabulous kale salad I had. 

 

Kale Chips 

ingredients : Kale, Olive oil, and sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Dr. Weil’s Kale Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 14 oz), ribs removed and leaves sliced into 1/4-inch shreds
• 1/2 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus shavings for garnish
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs, toasted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes. Add kale and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes.

2. Add grated cheese and breadcrumbs and toss.

3. Garnish with shaved cheese before serving. Cover and refrigerate leftovers up to two days.

Throw back Thursday

 So lots of people have been posting TBT otherwise known as Throwback Thursday. Well here is a TBT picture that really helps me reflect on where I have been and especially where I am currently! This was taking only a few years back in 2011. This was my most unhealthiest I have ever been in my life. I’m not just talking about the number on the scale but overall health. I remember during this time where I had such a hard time keeping up with my kids. I was tired all the time and I wasn’t active at all EVER! The saddest part of it was that I was only 28 years old a time when many people are in their best shape of their lives.

So now let’s fast forward to today, 2014, I am now 3 years older and I have so much energy. My kids have a hard time keeping up with me. I have now been working out consistently for 2 years and I can honestly say I am so much healthier and happier as well. So I didn’t lose an extreme amount of weight but the way I feel about myself and my health are so much more important. I have reached my goals in some aspects but that doesn’t stop anything, the show must go on. I must continue to set goals for myself and to reach them in all aspects of life. I used to think if I could just lose weight, then I would be skinny and then I can eat how I want again. No one ever taught me that it’s not about a crash diet, and only working out when you are bigger, it has to be for life.

My point in all of this isn’t to brag on myself but simply to try to inspire those of you out there who feel like you can’t do it! I’m proof that you can do, if I did it anyone can achieve their goals. It’s simply about that make small goals for yourself and slowly achieving them. Set yourself up for positive changes and realize it’s not about dieting, it’s about changing your choices. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever eat the unhealthy things that you love, it means that you don’t eat (or drink) them all the time. MODERATION! It means get off your couch and go for a walk and then do it the next day again and again. Then once that isn’t challenging anymore start to jog, pretty soon you may even enjoy this new-found “hobby”.

My lifestyle now compared to then is night and day. Now I am focused on teaching my children about good nutrition and about being active. That was never in my upbringing so I am hoping that by teaching them at a young age maybe they will not have to go through this struggle that their mother went through. I’m so passionate about helping others in life and this is something that really can make people’s lives longer and more enjoyable. You don’t have to start big just start somewhere.