The back to school season is here! I've always enjoyed fall, as it feels like a fresh start, a reset. It's the time to try a little harder, to turn over a new leaf, and get moving in new and exciting ways. To do so, it helps to fuel up on healthy food. Lately, I've been making kale smoothies for breakfast. I know, I know, that sounds horrible. But with the right ingredients and a fairly powerful blender, it's actually really tasty--and extremely good for you. Here's the recipe:
Kale Smoothie
Ingredients
1 ripe banana, peeled
2/3 cup frozen blueberries
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cup chopped kale (you can buy a bag that is pre-washed and pre-chopped at Target)
Add all of the ingredients to your blender. Take care to pick out any particularly woody pieces of kale as you add it in. Blend using the ice crush feature on low, and stop the blender after a minute if the kale isn't mixing in. Use a spoon to mash it all down and blend again until you see that nice vortex in the middle. Run the blender for a full minute or two on high to ensure the smoothie is as velvety as possible, with all the kale pieces dissolved into tiny particles. Pour into a pint glass, and drink up. Makes approximately 16 ounces.
Next up is a meal I made for my three year old daughter last night, and comes with her seal of approval. I like to call it Quinoa Goo, which sounds about as appetizing as a kale smoothie, but trust me, it is also delicious. Here's what's in it:
Quinoa Goo
Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa, cooked (when it's cooked, you end up with about two cups of quinoa)
1 16 oz. can of seasoned, chopped tomatoes (I like the basil garlic flavor)
1 cup of cooked small shrimp (I buy them frozen and thaw them in the microwave)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 T. olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Cook the quinoa in a two quart pot by following the directions on the package. I like to add about a half tablespoon of salt to the water for flavor as it's cooking. When the quinoa is ready, fluff it with a fork and place it in a large bowl with all of the other ingredients. Mix everything together, portion it out into smaller bowls, and eat up! Makes about four servings.
