Kale, Squash and Apple Salad

Fall Kale, Squash Apple salad

Everyone knows the advantages of eating kale, but now is the time to add squash to your meals as well. There are so many different varieties available right now–and all are delicious!

This awesome vegetable is a superfood of its own right, and is very high in beta-carotene, which provides the majority of vitamin A in most diets–as long as it is eaten with some fat so it can be absorbed and utilized. (Antioxidants don’t work unless you eat this.) Squash also contains vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, which helps fight cancer, colds and flu, and heart disease–to name just a few.

Unlike summer squash, which has edible skin and can be eaten raw, winter squash usually has a tougher skin and will need to be peeled. There are many methods to cooking squash, but the best method for most squash is roasting. Carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the fibers and seeds. At this point, you can separate the seeds from the fibers to toast them for a snack. Roast the squash cut-side down at 350 degrees F until tender–or do like I did and half or quarter and put on medium heat on grill for about a half hour or so, depending on the size of the squash pieces.

Fall Squash, Kale and Apple Superfood Salad

1/2 Granny Smith apple, chopped

1/2 McIntosh, Gala, Fuji, etc apple, chopped

1/2 firm pear, chopped

1 small squash, roasted, cooled and chopped in cubes (I used a Delicata squash)

1/2 red onion chopped

1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (I roasted in pan over med heat for about 2-4 min)

Dinosaur kale, chopped and massaged (can use a rolling pin to make it more tender)

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup tart dried cherries or unsweetened cranberries

1-2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes to taste

Roast squash, cool, peel, and cube in small pieces. Chop kale in small pieces, and roll with rolling pin or ‘massage’ by wrapping in clean dish towel and rolling with a rolling pin or can to make it more tender. Mix the rest of ingredients in and serve. Serves about 4. Works as a great vegan meal too!

A Votre Sante!

cat

Save the Colorado picCatherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is an international health, wellness and longevity expert. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing, she has spent the last 30 years studying sustainable diets, health and nutrition all over the world. She also has 4 books including the worldwide best-seller,  “The Fat Burning Kitchen,” “The Top 101 Foods That Fight Aging”, and “The Superfoods Diabetes Reversal Diet”,  and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help create a healthier planet and healthier people.

                             Cat’s Global Green Kitchen

Warm Lentil, Kale & Bacon Salad

Lately I have been really liking lentils. Lentils are a power food–loaded with protein, fiber, B vitamins and iron; and the stellar health benefits of kale. And there’s bacon…

Lentil kale bacon salad lgLately I have been really enjoying lentils. Now for the die-hard Paleo/Primal folks, lentils are not on the ‘list’, but as an athlete who needs to get plenty of non-grain high quality carbs, lentils are a perfect addition. Lentils are a power food–they are loaded with protein,  fiber, B vitamins and iron.

Lentils contain more folate than most any other plant food. Besides protecting your body against heart disease and inflammation by lowering dangerous homocysteine, folate is ideal for women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, as it helps prevent birth defects. And did you know that folate, combined with vitamin B6 (also in lentils) helps reduce the risk of breast cancer and other cancers.

Lentils’ high fiber makes them filling and satisfying, while keeping blood sugar low. This low calorie legume is a great dietary addition if you are trying to lose weight as well. The lentil is an easy to digest food that is helpful to those who have digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrom and diverticulosis.

Lentils contain the third highest level of protein of all legumes and nuts, so not only are they a  great slow burning carbohydrate source, but they are also an excellent source of protein.

And one of the main reasons I love lentils is their steady, slow-burning energy they provide for athletes, along with the iron which helps to transport oxygen in the body. Oh, and did I mention they taste delicious?
And of course, there is the kale, which we all know is a known ‘Superfood’. A member of the cruciferous family, it has anti-cancer, fat burning properties, along with its powerful anti-oxidants, calcium and vitamin K, among other more numerous health benefits.
There’s also turmeric in this recipe too. If you don’t know about turmeric, read more here. It’s one of the most powerful, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging spices you can use.
I used black lentils in this recipe. They are a slightly smaller, firmer lentil than the more common brown lentil you see at the grocery store, although you can use either type. Brown lentils cook relatively quickly, so don’t overcook or they will become mushy.
This recipe, that I made up on the fly, turned out surprisingly good. I may have to make it again tonight!

Warm Lentil, Kale and Bacon Salad

2 slices of thick sliced, natural (nitrite/nitrate free) bacon

4-6 good sized garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup (or so) cooked black or brown lentils

1/2 bunch of kale, chopped in small pieces

sea salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

juice of 1 fresh lemon wedge, to taste

hot pepper flakes, to taste

toasted sesame seeds, optional

In a frying pan, fry bacon until medium crisp. Remove from pan and chop or break in small pieces. Set aside. Leave about 1-2 Tbsp of the bacon grease in pan, and stir and cook garlic for a few minutes, until soft. Add chopped kale, salt, drained lentils, red pepper flakes, and turmeric. Cover with lid and cook over medium to medium-low heat for a few minutes until kale is tender. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over kale, stir and serve. Enjoy! Serves 2-4.

This can be served as a side dish or as a complete meal.

 

 

 

 

Never Eat These Fruits and Vegetables!

The Dirty Dozen

We see the organic produce in the grocery store and farmer’s markets, but is it really worth the higher price we have to pay?

Aren’t we just paying for expensive food?

Choosing organic foods is a wise decision not only because these foods are lower in harmful pesticides which can be neurotoxins, lead to cancer and other diseases, and mess up our hormones; but also because organic foods contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and not genetically modified.

A new report issued by the President’s Cancer Panel even recommends organic produce to lower the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Fruits and vegetables can sit in a field for up to six months during their growing phase so that anything that is sprayed on them will actually get soaked up into the roots.

You cannot wash off many of these pesticides and chemicals.

While it would be nice to purchase and eat everything organic, sometimes this can become an expensive venture. For those of us who must stick to a budget, avoiding the worst offenders is a better answer.

The “Dirty Dozen” list is put together every year by the Environmental Working Group shows the fruits and vegetables that are the most highly sprayed. The group analyzes data from the Department of Agriculture about pesticide residue and ranks foods based on how much or little pesticide residue they have.

When conventionally grown, the fruits and veggies on this list showed at least 47 different chemicals, with some having 67 or more.

Do you want to eat poison? No thanks.

Researchers say eating certain types of organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins we consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent.

So next time you go grocery shopping, avoid these conventionally raised fruits or vegetables at all costs:

Apples
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported Grapes
Lettuce and Spinach
Kale and Collard Greens    

However, the following list are vegetables and fruit that are relatively safe if even you purchase the conventionally grown, non-organic type.

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Onions

Buying locally grown produce also helps to cut back on pesticides, plus you get fresher fruits and vegetables.

And buying local and in season is your best bet for the safest, freshest, and best tasting produce, and the least expensive option.

Till next time, Stay Healthy and Lean!

 

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.  

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

 

 

My Favorite Superfood, Kale

Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family with broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and collard greens. These vegetables contain powerful compounds that prevent or reverse many cancers…

Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.”

Eating healthy foods not only helps to prevent many of the most prevalent diseases of our modern world, but some superfoods are actually almost medicinal in their ability to reverse and heal many diseases, without the unpleasant and dangerous side effects of certain drugs.

Superfoods can help you easily lose weight, fight cancer, improve your digestive function, counteract osteoporosis, reverse heart disease, improve your mental outlook and help your brain function, stop the aging process, and give you boundless energy and wellbeing.

Here is one of my all time favorite superfoods:

Kale, Superfood Extraordinaire

Often used as a garnish in salad bars, this super-powered dark green leafy cruciferous vegetable contains more powerful nutrition than the whole salad bar combined!

Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family much like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and collard greens. These vegetables contain powerful organosulphur compounds that have been scientifically proven effective at preventing or reversing many cancers, including stomach cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Scientific studies have shown that these compounds can actually shrink tumors or stop their growth.

Eating kale is like popping a multivitamin and mineral supplement in your mouth—except way better, since it’s a whole food!

Kale has large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, and potassium!

A serving of kale provides almost 200% of the daily value of vitamin A, and 100% of your recommended amount of vitamin C.

The manganese in kale is an important trace mineral that works with fatty acids in the body to produce sex hormones, maintain the nervous system, and metabolize and utilize energy from protein and carbohydrates, making it the perfect fat-burning food.

Kale’s minerals are great for bones and far better than milk or dairy products. When combined with the vitamins A and K, it is easily utilized in the body, and works to strengthen and maintain the calcium in bones and teeth.

Kale also protects your eyes with the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. These phytochemicals work to prevent cataracts, and age-related blindness.

And kale maintains your brain health as well!

Kale and other green leafy vegetables can slow age-related mental decline in Alzheimer’s by a whopping 40%!

Kale contains a unique phytochemical called indole-3-carbinol that not only protects against estrogen-related cancers (like breast and ovarian cancer), it also counteracts unhealthy chemical forms of estrogens (xenoestrogens) in our environment that contribute to cancer, infertility, impotence, (undesirable female characteristics like ‘man boobs’), weight gain and belly fat.

Kale is a dark, blue-green leafy plant with curly-edged leaves. Select kale with smaller leaves or the more tender dinosaur kale for the best taste.

Try kale chopped up and added raw to salads or smoothies (you can’t taste it, just throw in a handful), or cooked lightly with a little water, olive oil, grass fed butter, and a squeeze of lemon and garlic.

[Just a note:  frozen kale has far less vitamin K than fresh kale does.]

Here is one of my favorite ways to enjoy kale: Lightly saute`chopped kale with a little olive oil and with chopped green apples. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and serve with walnuts or almonds sprinkled on top.

Be sure to include this superstar on your plate on a regular basis!

Stay tuned for more superstar superfoods and recipes…

 

Till next time, stay healthy and lean!


Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

               Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

       Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.