kale

Who needs to buy lunch when you can prepare a quick, healthy meal in no time at all? FitSugar reader Dara8182 posted this to-go friendly recipe for chicken Caesar kale wraps in our Healthy Recipe group.

Perfect for lunch or dinner, this healthy wrap is packed with protein and fiber. Coupled with the fact these only take minutes to make, it is a quick and healthy option for any busy day. I substituted kale for traditional romaine for a boost of vitamin A, iron, calcium, B vitamins and antioxidants. I also added some grated parmesan for flavor and ground flaxseed for the omega 3s.

Read the recipe after the break!

One of my favorite weeknight meals is roasted chicken with kale and potatoes. To prepare it, I have a simple way of removing the tough stems from Tuscan or dinosaur kale. Fold each leaf in half with the vein side out, then trim alongside the stem from top to bottom. I discovered this tip after cooking batches of kale, but I wish I'd known it when I was first starting out; then, I painstakingly traced the stem out of each leaf! What's your favorite way to prep kale?

Celebrate the warmer weather with this recipe for a healthy kale pesto that reader prepel posted in the Healthy Recipe community group.

original

Superfood Pesto

Ingredients

Kale, 6-8 leaves torn into chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons water
Juice from 1/4 lemon
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1 garlic clove, sliced
6 parsley leaves

Directions

Six superfoods mixed into one simple recipe!

Add kale, lemon juice, garlic, and sunflower seeds into food processor and process until a pastey texture forms. Add olive oil and one tablespoon water. Process and scrape down sides as needed — 3-4 minutes. Add parsley leaves and one tablespoon water and process again, stopping to scrape, until a smooth texture forms. Makes 1.5 cups. Use as a dip, pasta sauce, or put on a slice of wholegrain bread with tomato and enjoy!

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Got a similarly delicious recipe? Head on over to the Healthy Recipe community group and share one of your own.

When you're invited to a dinner party, you may not expect to be doing the cooking yourself, but that's exactly what I did last weekend. At a recent gathering of friends, I was surprised to see that we actually made our dinner and then sat down to eat it. Organized by a dear friend of mine, Parties That Cook came to his house and set up work stations, gave us recipes, showed us some chef tips, and let us take the lead. After we cooked our dishes, we went to another room and drank cocktails while the professional chefs turned the cooking area into a fabulous dining room complete with candlelit place settings.

While I would have loved to make the delicious dessert, I was actually pleased to be on "team kale," as I picked up a new healthy recipe that I can share with you!

Are you ready to see it?

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and if you've all of a sudden realized that you're in charge of planning, cooking, and hosting a dinner, don't freak out. I've got your back — and an incredibly easy menu that can be put together in just about two hours. For the appetizers, take some help from the store. Pick up your favorite cheese, crackers, dried fruit, and nuts. Use these items to throw together an uncomplicated yet stunning cheese display. When it comes to the main course, the simpler the better. Serve turkey breast roasted with lemon and thyme, mashed sweet potato paprika puree, and a hearty, healthy portion of braised kale.

Thanksgiving isn't about the quantity of food, it's about the quality of conversation you have while enjoying the meal. Want more fast Thanksgiving recipes? Here's 10 awesome and uncomplicated dishes.To savor the menu described here with loved ones, get the recipes after the break

The pumpkins are hardly in the compost and the Christmas decorations are already popping up in storefronts, which means old man Winter is on his way. Before the leaves are all on the ground, I'm bulking up on my warm and hearty soup recipes. One of my all-time favorites is Italian wedding soup, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for the meatballs. When that's the case, I take comfort in this yummy kale potato bean soup that's a cinch to make and a crowd-pleaser to boot.

Chock full of tasty veggies, protein packed beans, and other fresh ingredients, this vegetarian soup is quite tasty and easily adaptable. I, for instance, like to add more beans and corn to the mix every so often. And on those rare moments where I do want a little meat in the pot, it's simple enough to add bits of grilled chicken or meatballs. So the next time you think about kindling the fire, consider firing up a bowl of the kale potato bean soup to go along with it!

If you want to see the recipe, just read more

If you're in need of a scrumptious Thanksgiving side, don't overlook kale. Fresh Tart recommends this raw kale salad with feta cheese and pine nuts.

I first wrote about this recipe a few weeks ago when I described our trip to San Francisco.  My friend Maud's brother Arthur made a delicious kale salad for us, and I couldn't wait to make it at home and post it for you.  In the process of raving about it on Facebook, I found out that the recipe originally came from Maud and Arthur's sister Abigail!  She claims she didn't make it up herself, but I'm happy to give her credit for introducing it to me via Arthur.  She said that Arthur added the nuts (a good addition).

The kale in the salad is raw, yet tender, because it sits tossed with some lemon juice for a bit (the acid tenderizes the greens).  In fact, I kept leftovers in the fridge overnight and enjoyed it completely the next day.  Abigail notes that it is always popular on buffets - as we all know, it's not easy to find a green salad that can sit nicely (and even improve) on a buffet!  I'm thinking . . . Thanksgiving.  Yes.

Get the uncomplicated recipe after the break.

Need a healthy start to your weekend? Be like girlA and enjoy a colorful kale and potato casserole that's 100 percent vegan.

Oh my gosh, this was delicious!! The flavors of the Field Roast sausage and Vegan Rella really made this dish. This was the first time I used Vegan Rella’s cheddar flavor, and like the mozzarella variety, I was in love at first bite. It is truly the best-tasting vegan cheese out there, and it melts like it’s nobody’s biz. Combined with the Field Roast, there’s no need to add any other seasonings, which is always a time and money saver!

Check out her recipe, after the break.