Kale Waldorf Salad

I found a basic salad recipe while looking through the Whole Foods App on my iPhone, I highly recommend this app, it has great healthy recipes that are easy to prepare. I have made a few changes to the original recipe and find it to be heavenly. The dressing works so well with the Kale as well as on other salads or used as a dip or marinade.

Serves 4-6 people 

Ingredients:

4 cups packed finely chopped raw kale

1 large red apple, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, chopped, divided
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons craisins, divided

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, divided

 

For Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water, more if needed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt 

Directions:

Place kale in a large bowl. Add half the apple to kale along with celery, 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Put remaining apple in a blender along with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts, remaining 2 tablespoons raisins, mustard, water, vinegar and salt. Purée until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed to thin. Pour dressing over kale salad and toss to combine.

*place the salad when dressed in the fridge for 15 minutes once dressed, it allows the kale to soak up the dressing and the leaves fill with flavor. 

Pea and Beet Salad

This unusually warm winter in New York has me eating plenty of salads lately and I decided it was time to think of some new recipes. This one is quickly becoming a favorite! 

Ingredients:

- Arugula

- Sugar Snap Peas

- Pea Shoots

- Cucumber

- Roasted Beets

- Goat Cheese

For dressing:

- EVOO

- Balsamic Vinegar

- Egg Yolk

- Water

Directions:

Well folks, this is a salad, not reinventing the wheel so I will make this short and sweet.

Place arugula in a large bowl, dice up the peas, pea shoots, and cucumber and add to bed of arugula. As for the beets I bought prepared beets at Trader Joes and diced them up and tossed in the salad. You can also roast your own beets it time permits.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle with goat cheese (feta also works well). I also like to sprinkle some roasted flax seeds on top as well for added benefits.

For the dressing add 1 part EVOO,  1 part water, 2 parts vinegar and an egg yolk to a bowl and whisk until it all turns to a balsamic vinaigrette.

 

Toss dressing into salad and serve. 

15 Minute Pasta Dish

It's starting to get cold and what is better than a hearty pasta dinner after a long day? In my opinion, not much, but eating pasta all the time isn't a very healthy, so now I introduce you to my new favorite find DeBoles Pasta.

Skip the white pasta, or even the whole wheat and try out one or all of there many options ranging from spinach, to rice to quinoa and much more, some even come enhanced with flax seeds!

For my dinner I chose to use the Spinach Fettuccini because as you know by now, I love my Hints of Green!

 

Sausage and Spinach Fettuccini with Sautéed Greens

 Ingredients

- 1 Chicken Apple Sausage Link (can be substituted)

- Handful of Broccoli Rabe

- Handful of Mustard Greens

- 2 oz Spinach Fettuccini

- 1.5 tbsp EVOO

Remove the casing from the sausage and add to hot pan with EVOO, sauté until cooked through about 3 minutes.

 

 Dice up greens and add mixed greens to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes when greens wilt.

While the sausage and greens are cooking be sure to have the pasta cooking. Once the pasta is done strain and then add into the pan with sausage and greens. Add in a half a teaspoon of EVOO if needed and mix and serve. 

 Feel free to top with some grated parmesan serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

With Fall in full swing it is important to take advantage of both the fruits and vegetables the season has to offer. Fall is all about grounding foods and what is more grounding then a Butternut Squash?

Butternut Squash Soup

- Total Prep time 25 minutes - Total Cook time 45 minutes - Serves 4 (large bowls) 

Ingredients:

 - 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped

-  2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

- Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes.

 3. Puree soup in two batches.

*Note - When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender's lid, and cover with a dish towel.*

 

3. Stir in juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve hot,

Optional to top with sour cream, pepper, and pumpkin seeds, if desired, or try some Greek yogurt to maintain this healthy meal.