Kale Loses Its Crown

Kale has been dubbed the superfood of the year in 2014.  People are eating it up like crazy.  And it's great for you!  But, as it turns out, it only ranks 15th on the list of good-for-you foods in terms of nutrient density.

Salad is a good bet any day - especially if you include the "top ten" in your salad mix.

Read about it here.

Two Salads with One Fish

I really wanted fish tacos last night, so I got some fish and cooked it in the oven with lime juice, cilantro, diced hot chilis, salt and pepper on top.   Mmmmm on its own!

And I didn't want the tortilla, so I thought I'd make my favorite Chipotle Fish "Tacos" with Lettuce Tortillas.  But I was lazy and didn't want to deal with the mess of eating them.  So I deconstructed them and made a

Fish Taco in a Bowl

I used beet tops, cabbage, red peppers and avocado for the greens then mixed up a lemon juice vinaigrette with a touch of chili powder in it.  Delish!

AND there was fish left over for lunch today!  So I made

Red Green Salad with Fish

I used black kale, celery, and grated beets for the greens then topped them with Namprik Dressing.  The recipe I have is from a restaurant friend and makes a ton, so I guess when I make a smaller amount....

nearly equal parts of lime juice and fish sauce (a touch less) and light oil (I used almond oil today)

garlic

sambal oelek (normally I used finely diced jalapeños, but I had none)

a touch of something sweet (today I used honey)

Actual Namprik Recipe (lots and lots of Namprik)

1 tablespoon + 1 3/4 teaspoons jalapenos (1 cup)
1 tablespoon + 1 3/4 teaspoons garlic cloves (1 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup + 2 1/2 teaspoons lime concentrate (8 cup)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 3/4 teaspoons fish sauce (6 cup)
3/4 cup + 2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil (8 cup)

Karen's SO DELICIOUS Kale Salad

My friend Karen is a great cook.  She loves to make new things and she cooks all the time.  I always think she's kind of surprised when I come up with something yummy and new - I'm not really a cooking fanatic.  Lately, though, she's loved my salads.  She brought me this one and I love it!

You need:

Dressing:
½ cup shallots, sliced thinly
butter
¼ cup rice wine vinegar (I buy the kind with no sugar in it)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
a touch of something sweet - if you must (I used agave syrup)

Salad:
3 cups Kale
1 cup Mint
Sweet onion sliced paper thin

Saute the shallots in the butter until translucent.  Add the rice wine vinegar and cook it down.  Add the oil, mustard, and agave.

Chiffonade the kale and mint.  Add the thinly sliced sweet onion.  Add the dressing and mix.



Sprinkle blue cheese on the top to serve.

This is a salad that just gets better with time.  Make it early.  Make enough to leave overnight for your lunch tomorrow!

Ack! I Need to Use Up the Bean Sprouts Salad

I often buy veggies with the best intentions of using them the same day.  And I often get distracted and cook something else.  That's okay for most veggies, but bean sprouts are different story.  If you buy them fresh, you have a very short window to use them before they turn into a wet, mushy mess in their bag.

Here's a salad you can make!

You need:

Fresh Bean Sprouts
½ cup water

Dressing
½  cup green onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (toast your own or buy them toasted)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons fresh green chile peppers

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and let sit.  It's great if you can do this a couple of hours ahead to release the heat in the peppers and garlic.

Boil the bean sprouts in water for about 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse in cold water to cool.  Leave in strainer to drain.

Once the bean sprouts are drained well, mix them together with the dressing in a bowl and let sit in the fridge for an hour.  Sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds on top when serving.

This salad is even BETTER the next day - but be sure you don't eat it alone.  It's pretty garlicky!

Green Mango Salad

I can't eat enough of this when mangoes are green at the grocery store.  Delicious and spicy.

You need:
1 Green Mango
1 Red Pepper
1 Red Onion
½ c. Cilantro
¼ c. Fresh Mint
Handful of Cashews
1 T. Fish Sauce
1 Lime
1 t. Sambal Oelek
1 T. Olive Oil



Salad:
Julienne the mango and some of the red pepper.  Chop a bit of red onion.  Chop the cilantro and mint.  Mix all together in a bowl.

Dressing:
Mix together the juice of the lime, a tablespoon of fish sauce, a tablespoon of olive oil and sambal oelek to taste.

Dress your salad and sprinkle crushed cashews on top.



Nutrition Information:
Calories 125 per serving
Carbs 13g per serving

Mango
Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin B6, and a very good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Red Pepper
Very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin B6 and Folate.
Red Onion
Very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C.
Cilantro
Very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Thiamin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
Mint
Low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
Cashews
Low in Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Magnesium, Copper and Manganese.
Fish Sauce
High in sodium.

Fennel, Celery and Lemon Salad

This is a super easy salad to make with simple ingredients.  It's cool, tangy and refreshing.
You need:
1 c. Fennel
1 c. Celery
1 Lemon
1 T. Olive Oil


Slice all ingredients paper thin. About a cup of each and one whole lemon leaving the peel on.
Combine in a bowl.
Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the top.
Enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
Calories:  46 per serving
Carbs:  5g per serving
Fennel
This food is very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.
Celery
This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.High in Sodium.

Lemon
This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Iron and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium and Copper.Olive Oil
This food is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium.