Recipe: Baked Kale Chips

Kale chips are one of those things I knew I'd like, but I pushed off trying them for so long! Eating well has become pretty important to me, and I want Levi to feel good about eating healthy foods as he grows up. These kale chips literally melt in your mouth! They're great. Make them!

Wash your bundle of kale thoroughly. Blot leaves with paper towels before tearing, then tear off 1-2 inch pieces. Make sure you leave out the big stem in the middle because they can be bitter!

Put your kale in a mixing bowl and toss with one tablespoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of coarse salt. Lay out in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may need to use two) and then bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

I made two batches, one with garlic powder instead of coarse salt. The garlic smelled really good while baking, but I wasn't digging the taste once they came out. Especially compared with the EVOO and salt combination! These could really be spiced up any way. Next time I think I'll mix some Sriracha in with the oil for a spicy version!

Recipe: Banana Ice Cream

Okay, it doesn't look all that pretty, but I promise that banana ice cream is something you should try. It was the easiest thing ever to make, and it tastes like heaven. I used four bananas for two servings.

First, cut up your bananas and stick em in the freezer for an hour or two.

Take them out and place in the blender. I made two batches, one with cinnamon and one with Reese's. Once they're all creamy, you're good to go! I stuck mine in the freezer for a little longer so that it would harden and thicken a little bit. The Reese's one was definitely my favorite!

Recipe: Kale & Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This recipes rules. When I was putting it all together, it never even occurred to me that I was combining  a sweet potato with a spicy sauce mix. Maybe I should cook more often... But anyway, it was a different taste than I ever expected and so delicious! This recipe serves two.

You will need:

2 big sweet potatoes

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

1 tsp. chipotle chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

salt & pepper

2 cups kale

5 oz. feta cheese

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Wash your sweet potatoes and poke all over with a fork. Place in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until tender. 

Brush your chicken breasts with olive oil and top with salt and pepper, then place in a baking dish and bake with sweet potatoes for 25 minutes. Allow to chill and shred the chicken with a fork. When the sweet potatoes are done, slice in half and allow to cool off.

In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and wilt the kale. Toss the kale, sauce and shredded chicken together. Set aside and keep warm.

Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Hollow out the potato, leaving a medium size layer of flesh inside. Brush the skins with a little bit of sauce mixture and bake for 5-10 minutes until skins are crisp. Remove the skins and stuff with the chicken mixture and top with feta cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve with chopped cilantro and greek yogurt if desired.

YUM. If you have any interesting recipes, please send them my way! This one was adapted from Half Baked Harvest, which I found through Pinterest of course.