Creamy Green Smoothie Bowl

If you are on Instagram, you have surely seen millions of perfectly staged pictures of smoothie bowls.  Never once did the thought of pouring my smoothie into a cereal bowl and eating it with a spoon appeal to me.  Just drink it like a normal person!  But finally I realized a few good things about the bowl concept.  First, you can arguably make a lot more of the smoothie–never a bad thing in my book.  You can also put lots of crunchy, delicious toppings on it, making it feel like more of a meal than just a drink on the go.  This morning I decided to take the leap.  I made one of my favorite smoothie combos slightly thicker than usual and loaded on the toppings.  The result?  Absolutely delicious.  I’m a believer.

Creamy Green Smoothie Bowl

-1 c kale (or spinach)

-1/2 avocado

-1/2 banana

-spoonful of peanut butter

-squeeze of honey

-1/2 c to 1 c almond milk

-toppings: shredded coconut, crushed plantain chips, toasted almonds (or anything you like)

Blend everything but the toppings and pour it in a bowl.  Place the toppings on–arranged in lines, obviously for Insta. 😉

 

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White Bean, Sausage and Greens Soup – Tuesday’s Table

This is a recipe that came to be based on items I had in our fridge and pantry two years ago. Since then as soon as fall weather is upon us it is the first thing that Grant requests for dinner. It is just about as easy as they come and is hearty enough that it is a full meal… but Grant usually makes his mom’s cornbread recipe to accompany the soup – lucky me (unlucky waistline). This meal is easy to throw together, inexpensive and gluten free as long as you pay attention to the sausage and turnip greens.

Sub in black eyed peas and we call this our “New Year’s Soup.” It covers all of the bases for luck, health and prosperity… in one easy pot. Check!

  

White Bean, Sausage and Greens Soup

Ingredients:  

1 pk Andouille/cajun sausage, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves/teaspoons garlic, minced
2 cans white beans (any type, I prefer Navy Beans because of their small size)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can turnip greens
1 bunch kale in inch pieces
6 cups chicken broth (I used 4 stock, 2 water)
Several dashes of Hot Pepper Vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to season

Directions:

Brown chopped sausage (try to drain most of the grease), add onions and garlic  to sausage to soften for 5-7 min
Add chicken broth, beans (rinsed), tomatoes with juice
Add turnip greens (mostly drained)
Add kale, black pepper, pepper vinegar.
Stir, cover, simmer

Simmer for at least 30-45 minutes, but will taste even better the next day.

Serve with hot pepper vinegar. Cornbread would be a treat too.

** You can make many variations to this recipe based on your preferences and things that you have at home. Use only kale (add some salt to recipe); use only turnip greens, add some shredded chicken, etc. I have done all of these things and it turns out well every single time**

   

    
   

Enjoy!!

Tuesday’s Table – Kale Salad with Quinoa, Feta and Crasins

On Saturday night I had Jonathan Waxman’s excellent Kale Salad at Adele’s in Nashville. It reminded me that I haven’t made one of my favorite kale salads in a while, and I have never posted it on our blog before. One of my dear friends introduced me to this salad over a year ago, and I have made it many times. It is inexpensive, healthy, and keeps well! It will keep in Tupperware in your fridge from Mon-Th/Fri. And that’s usually exactly when I eat it – the work week. It is the perfect, easy lunch to take with you to work or to have all ready to eat in the fridge.

  

  

Kale Salad with Quinoa, Feta, and Crasins

Salad:

1 large bunch of kale, washed well, dried, and torn/chopped into small bits

1/2 c. cooked quinoa, prepared according to package

1/4. c. crumbled feta

1/4 c. crasins

1/4 c. toasted pepitas/pecans/pine nuts (pick your favorite or use whatever nut you have, just toast them first)

Dressing:

2 Tbs. olive oil

juice of one lemon

1 small clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp. dijon mustard

freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

While you are preparing your quinoa according to its packaging (boiling water, letting it absorb said water, etc.), wash and dry your kale. Kale can be quite sandy so really rinse each leaf, then let dry. Once mostly dry pull leaves from their stems and tear or chop into small bits.

Prepare dressing.

  

Combine dressing with kale.

  

Add crasins, feta, nuts (that need to be toasted, do this on your stove top in a matter of 3-5 minutes – make more than you need and save them. You will use them!) and hot quinoa. I like adding the quinoa as soon as it’s finished cooking so it can help almost soften the kale.

  

Put in air tight container and in your fridge.

I make this on Sunday night and have it several days during the week. I love it! I also love that its a cold salad but tastes a bit like fall. Perfect for our in between weather!

Enjoy!!