Lunch

Lunch

Hail To The Kale

After attending Chef AJ’s cooking class last Sunday, I was dying to try one of her recipes and definitely craving some kale.
I went for the “Hail To The Kale” salad, which was the original dish I had tried at Whole Foods before discovering Chef AJ!

 Hail To The Kale Salad
Recipe by Chef AJ
serves 3-4

Salad:
2 large heads of curly kale
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup raisins

Dressing:
1 cup raw almond butter (unsalted/unsweetened)
1 cup coconut water (I use O.N.E.)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic
3/4 oz. fresh ginger (approx 1″)
2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari or low sodium soy sauce
4 pitted Medjool dates
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Chop the kale and set aside in a large bowl.
In a high powered blender, combine all dressing ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
Massage about 1/2 cup of the dressing onto the kale (more or less depending on your taste).
Toss with slivered almonds and raisins and serve.
Store excess dressing in a jar and refrigerate.

Chef AJ’s recipe doesn’t call for raisins, but I thought they were the perfect chewy addition to this creamy salad.

As Chef AJ says “Like a woman, this salad gets better with age.” I have to agree, I love to let the kale marinade in the dressing overnight in the refrigerator. It is twice as good the next day!

This recipe makes a large amount of dressing.
I was able to coat my 2 heads of kale, and  fill an entire mason jar for future salads.
This dressing is a great staple to have in your fridge for veggie dipping and quick salads.

 

Skinny Bunny Cleanse

If you need to reset your taste buds, jumpstart on your weight loss, or need to get ready for a big event, this high fiber whole food cleanse will have hopping into those skinny jeans in no time.
You will get to enjoy a beautiful breakfast scramble, layered lunch parfait, delectable dinner salad, and satisfying snack smoothie.
I do not recommend exercising during the cleanse, since it does not provide enough calories.

In comparison to popular all liquid juice cleanses, a cleanse that is high in fiber is much easier to stick with as fiber keeps you feeling full and satisfied and never deprived.
Each food selected on for the Skinny Bunny cleanse is packed with fiber. Did you know that raspberries contain around 9 grams of fiber per cup?!
Fiber slows the rate at which sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream keeping your blood glucose levels from rising too fast. It also cleanses your colon, acting like a little scrub brush. This scrubbing effect helps clean out bacteria and other buildup in your intestines. Fiber also helps to keep bowel movements regular to avoid bloat.

All you need are these 5 versatile fiber packed foods and 5 days of commitment.


Raspberries
Spinach
Almonds & Almond Butter
Egg Whites
Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
Note: 1/5 package of Tofu can be substituted for eggs & yogurt for a vegan option.

Space meals 3-4 hours apart and drink 8-10 glasses of water and an optional 2 cups of green tea per day. No soda, coffee, or added sugar.



BREAKFAST:

¼ cup egg whites
1 cup spinach
1 cup raspberries
2 Tbsp sliced or slivered almonds
cinnamon

Scramble egg whites  with 1 spinach. Add any salt free seasonings such as black pepper, turmeric, or garlic to taste.
Place raspberries in a separate bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon and top with 2 Tbsp of almonds.

Tip: for breakfast I recommend using frozen chopped spinach.

 


LUNCH:
6oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt (single serve container)
1 cup raspberries
2 Tbsp sliced or slivered almonds
cinnamon

Layer the bottom of a jar or bowl with half of the Greek yogurt, then add half of the almonds, half of the raspberries, sprinkle with cinnamon, and repeat layers once more to create a parfait.

Tip: I like to make my lunch parfait in the morning inside of a glass jar using frozen raspberries. This way I can leave it in the fridge and the raspberries are defrosted just in time for lunch.

 

 
DINNER:
2 cups of fresh spinach
¼ cup egg whites
1 cup raspberries
2 Tbsp sliced or slivered almonds
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar
Splash of lemon juice
Pepper

In a large bowl, combine the fresh spinach, raspberries, and almonds. Toss with your choice of vinegar and a splash of lemon juice. Then scramble egg whites and add on top of the salad. Add pepper to taste.

 

 
SNACK/DESSERT:
6oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup raspberries
1 Tbsp almond butter (unsalted and unsweetened)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Ice cubes
splash of water

Combine Greek yogurt, raspberries, almond butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and ice cubes in a blender. Add small amounts of water until preferred thickness is desired. Blend away and enjoy.

Tip: Use frozen raspberries

Recipe adapted from Cinch! by Cynthia Sass

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