Eat Don’t Drink Your Kale

Up until just a few years ago, kale, terrified me. I think fear of kale is a sort of universal personality type thing until you try it in a delicious recipe. My husband refuses to eat just about anything super healthy — let alone a kale shake. But I got him to try nutritionist Barbara Lincoln’s recipe for Rice Bowls with Kale below to which I added a few additional vegetables and he liked it. Okay, okay, he ate it, which he doesn’t do if he doesn’t like something. I, however, liked it as in I am looking forward to my leftovers liked it.

Barbara Lincoln (Classic (SFJ):

Okay, I’ll admit it. From time to time I contradict myself. I wouldn’t go so far as to use the H word but I’m not perfect (shh, don’t tell my husband). Last week I gave tips on building a healthy smoothie using frozen fruit for convenience. Truthfully, I am not much of a smoothie fan myself. I’d rather eat my fruits and veggies than drink them. That is not to say that smoothies don’t have a place in a healthy diet. My other issue with smoothies is that no one would actually sit down and eat a pound of kale, but you might get that much when you drink a kale smoothie. Enough said.

This brings me to my tip for this week: 2 ways to incorporate leafy greens into your daily diet. Everyone knows that leafy greens are good for you. They are excellent sources of vitamin K (for blood clotting), Iron, Vitamin A (think night vision and beautiful skin) and good sources of antioxidants. Two great ways to incorporate them are Kale chips and Rice bowls with kale. 

Kale Chips

Buy pre-washed cut Kale from Trader Joes or whatever is available at your local grocer or farmer’s market (you have to wash these well, cut off stems and pat dry). Swiss Chard and Mustard Greens work well too. Pre-heat oven to 350. Lay greens on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lightly brushed with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the the greens are visibly shrunken but not burned. These are a big hit in my house. You can add to salads and pasta (at the last minute so they don’t become soggy).  

Asian Rice Bowls with Kale

Use frozen brown rice, or pre-made brown rice (think Trader Joe’s or Fresh Direct). Place cooked rice in bowls. Steam washed greens for approximately 20 minutes either with a steamer or in the microwave and remove excess water. Add a slightly runny egg, and tofu or any other protein (or some combination of the above) and top with a tablespoon of your favorite Asian or Korean barbecue sauce.