Taco Salad

This is a great meal even for those people who aren't particularly a big fan of salad.  Its also a great way to incorporate raw foods into your regular meal schedule.  Super flavorful and the customization possibilities are endless!

Taco Seasoning 

(I use and adapted version of Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19 for this and I just keep a ready made jar on hand)

• 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp hot Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Taco Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup organic Sugar or 1/4 cup organic sugar and 1/4 cup Stevia (the kind for baking)
• 1/3 cup organic Ketchup
• 1/4 cup Braggs Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (this stuff is super good for you)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Taco Salad

• 1/2 lb organic ground beef (or 1 lb if you want to freeze some for later) (click here for more info on beef)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 head leaf lettuce
• 2-4 leaves of kale depending on your taste (why kale?)
• A few handfuls of Spinach
• Chopped red pepper to taste
• Chopped red onion to taste
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla Chips
• Any other veggies you may have on hand that you want to throw in!  Get creative!

Begin by browning ground beef.  Drain. Add black beans to skillet then add taco seasoning to taste, sometimes at this point I will add a little water back to the skillet just to get the seasoning to mix in.  I usually use a couple tablespoons of seasoning.  You will end up with leftover seasoning for a later date!  Meanwhile chop up all your veggies, and mix your salad dressing up.  The salad dressing takes a little while to mix together, at first it looks weird and all separated but give it time and keep mixing and eventually you will have something that resembles french dressing.  You will typically have leftover dressing as well, I just refrigerate it for later use.  Bear in mid it will harden in the fridge so it needs to set out a bit before use after refrigeration.  It will keep for several weeks.  Lastly layer all your ingredients on a plate or bowl ending with the crumbled tortilla chips and drizzling with dressing.

Pesto Pasta with Kale and Chicken Sausage

This is a super easy weeknight meal, cooks in about 20 minutes, 30 minutes tops depending on how quick you can prep your ingredients.  I love using kale in this dish because of the amazing health benefits it provides.  If you don't know much about kale you should read my post about it here.  If you have never eaten kale before this is a great recipe to get acquainted with it!

• 1 lb pasta- pick your favorite- I used the veggie spirals in the bulk foods section at Mama Jeans
• 1/2 cup pesto- make sure to read your labels if buying pre-made, they have a great all-natural option at Mama Jeans
• 2-4 chicken sausage links- chopped into bite size pieces,  I use 2 because I prefer less meat - I recommend Applegate Farms Andouille, or any other Applegate Farms variety.
• 5 cloves garlic- coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil- (why coconut oil?)
• 1 bunch of kale - chopped, about 2 cups
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat.  Add garlic and sausage and cook just until browned.  Add kale, salt and pepper, and cook for just a minute until incorporated into sausage mixture.  Add pasta and pesto, toss to coat.  Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.  

Kale is King When it Comes to Greens

Kale is positively one of the most nutrient dense vegetables around!  We all know that leafy greens should be a plentiful part of our diet and if there is one green that you definitely don't want to leave out it's Kale!

• Kale is a powerful source of antioxidants which we know can be a major player in the fight against the development of cancerous cells, heart disease, and some age related chronic illnesses. 

• Kale also aides in detoxification of our bodies with it's high sulfur content which is essential in keeping our organs running smoothly.

• Kale is very anti-inflammitory with its 100mg of omega-3 fatty acids per cup and with the added mega-dose of vitamin K it can help with inflammatory related problems such as asthma, arthritis, auto-immune disorder, allergies, acne, colitis and more.

• Kale is rich in fiber which binds with bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels especially when eaten cooked instead of raw.

• One cup of Kale contains 206% of your daily value of vitamin A which is essential for maintaining your vision, skin and cellular health and immune function.

• One cup of Kale also provides 134% of your daily value of vitamin C which we know is a powerful antioxidant that helps to support our immune system as well as aide in the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body which helps keep your skin from wrinkling as you age.

• That same cup of Kale also gives you 684% of you daily value of Vitamin K which can strengthen your bones and help prevent calcium build-up in your tissues that lead to heart disease and stroke.

That's a lot of goodness in one cup!  You would have to eat the equivalent of 102 bananas to equal the same amount of vitamin A and 384 baby carrots to get the same dose of vitamin K.  I don't know about you, but I think I'll go for the cup of kale!  I would consider it a superfood, meaning, it's too good for you to not eat it!  The best part is that it's quite delicious!  

Kale blends well with a variety of different cuisines.  Eat it raw in a salad, add it to a stir-fry, blend it up in a smoothie (one of my favorites), it's even hearty enough to add to soups or stews!  However you choose to eat it, it's sure to be a great addition to diet.  Happy kale eating!