Citrus Scented Kale

It looks like summer is officially here, and to top off the gorgeous weather we’ve been having, I got my first vegetable share today! Lots of kale, swiss chard, garlic scapes and green onions, a zucchini, dill, and salad greens. Holy smokes, am I ever stoked!

My first recipe using my CSA veggies is a simple kale dish, inspired by one of my coworkers. While she uses a combination of sesame and olive oil to sauté her kale, I wanted something a bit lighter for this hot day. I opted to stick with olive oil but used the same base ingredients she recommended — garlic, green onions, and kale — with a squeeze of fresh orange juice and pulp to finish it off.

This is definitely a summery recipe! The garlic’s toasty flavour complements the brighter flavours of the greens and orange. Plus, it’s a great dish to serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Green Yoghurt Smoothie

I have fallen off my breakfast smoothie wagon lately, although I am still eating breakfast daily! (I am very proud of this.) However, I’ve come up with a new and delicious version of a green smoothie, which I’m happy to share today!

The original clean green smoothie recipe I wrote is still the one I revert to most often when I’m reaching for my blender in the morning. I like its light flavour and texture, and the ginger really gives it some zing! This smoothie is pretty different, as it contains both peanut putter (or your choice of substitute nut butter) and yoghurt. It is heavier and creamier, less fruity, but more protein-packed.

Either way, it’s nice to shake things up a bit and try new ways of getting my metabolism up and running in the morning, so this is a welcome addition to my breakfast rotation!

Foodie Friend Friday #3: Becca’s St. Patrick’s Day Salad

Happy Friday, everyone!

This week, I am so excited to feature a recipe from my friend Becca. Becca is one of my oldest and dearest friends. We met when we were 15 and we are kind of like soul sisters… the type of friends who lose sight of one another every once in a while, but pick up wherever we left off when we reconnect. We had a wonderful reunion back in February and I’m glad we’re keeping in touch more these days. I absolutely love this girl, and I wish I could be in her kitchen at all times because the type of food she makes is just my style! Perhaps someday the stars will align and we will live in the same city…

Becca also started her very own food blog recently, so you should check her out at The Cozy Kitchen and spread the food blogging love — especially if you’re on a gluten free diet. She’s got you covered, and then some!

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, she has created a detoxifying salad for you… so if you’re planning on having a few drinks tomorrow, keep this recipe in mind as a pre- or post-celebration meal. You may want to use it to nurse your body back to health later.

If you’d like to see the last two installments of Foodie Friend Friday, click here (#1) and here (#2).

Spinach and Feta Scramble

When it comes to omelettes, spinach and feta are a classic combination. But when I’m not in the mood to wait for an omelette to cook (read: when I’m too hungry to wait 5 minutes), I toss the ingredients into my frying pan and whip up a plate of scrambled eggs with spinach and feta instead.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Pasta meals are a great way to hit every food group while keeping your meal simple and quick. This particular dish combines whole wheat pasta with chicken, spinach, tomato sauce, and cheese, and is hearty and filling. A hint of basil pesto adds extra dimension and flavour to the sauce.

I put the water on to boil and start cooking the chicken at the same time. By the time the pasta is cooking, the chicken is in the sauce and everything is ready all at once. The whole enterprise takes 20 minutes from beginning to end!

Hot, hearty, and healthy.

Spicy Chickpea, Lentil, and Kale Soup

I really get into soup once Fall and Winter set in. There’s nothing quite like sitting down to a steaming bowl of comforting soup on a chilly day.

I like my soups hearty, chunky, and filling. I also constantly tinker with my recipes to make sure that I’m hitting as many food groups as I can in one meal.

Kale Salad

Kale is one of my favourite vegetables. It is definitely my favourite leafy green. Because, you know… I see those as two separate things.

I like my kale pretty tough, so when I make it I try to cook it for 5 minutes max — it’s usually the last thing I add to my recipes. That being said, it can become quite soft when you cook it longer, so if that’s what floats your boat, keep the heat on for as long as you want. Kale is delicious in pretty much every form. I kid you not.

However, there is another way to soften and season your kale that doesn’t involve cooking it at all, which is how this salad is made!

Gorgeous veggies just waiting to be eaten!

Couscous Salad

Couscous is the greatest word to type.

It is also a delicious grain and I love it mixed up with lots of yummy vegetables and beans for a nice, light salad. It’s great both hot and cold and is a fantastic option when you’re pressed for time.

This salad was inspired by the random vegetables in my fridge. I have to say I’m happy with the way it turned out. It definitely has Fall written all over it: hearty, chunky, darkly coloured vegetables stud the couscous and the flavours are earthy and comforting. Yum!