A Powerful Kale Salad that Eats Like a Meal

Good morning! Have you been wondering where I've been?! I've missed you lots and it's because I've been in 'CrazyTown' since Friday. Think Christmas shopping, forcing a crazy dog to rest her sore leg, working, watching Christmas movies I've never heard of that seem to be playing every single night, training new employees, more shopping, doing piles and piles of dishes (seriously where do all the dirty dishes come from?!), trying to squeeze in after-work workouts, planning our annual Christmas party.....

Whew! I'm stressed and exhausted just typing all of that; luckily most of it's fun stuff --- I just seem to have overloaded myself all at once!

One thing that is seriously lacking in that busy list above is meal planning and eating. I have had zero energy and desire for recipe creation, so I've been relying on some old faves to fuel us during the crazy that is our life presently. One new fave that you absolutely must try: the Fitnessista's Cranberry Quinoa Stuffing. Oh. My. Goodness. SOOOOOO GOOOOODDDDDD! I've made it twice now and it makes big batches that I'm able to use in a few different meals.

Not only has it been tricky to keep on track with my clean eating goal at home, but the holiday sweets have started circulating around the office this week too. Not being the type of person to turn down a shortbread cookie stuffed with chunks of Skor Bar, I'm having to offset my indulgences with some veggie-packed healthy meals like this amazing kale salad I've been eating for lunch day after day after day.

This salad creation just kinda happened. I had a ginormous amount of kale to use up and I needed something healthy to pack for lunch, so I just started throwing in whatever I could find that I thought would work together. After making the salad  4 days in a row, I decided that was definitely one of those "must share" recipes. The best thing about this salad, besides the amazing flavour and the fact that it is packed full of all things healthy, is that it eats like a meal. It is so filling and doesn't need any companions to satisfy your belly! Everyday that I brought it to work for lunch, I also included some fruit or a soup and I never had room for them once my salad was inhaled enjoyed.

Power Packed Kale Salad for One
Serves 1

3 c kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c chickpeas
1 c chopped veggies
1/4 avocado, chopped
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp pepitas (or your fave seeds/nuts)
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

For the dressing:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper, to taste

To make your dressing, add all of the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together.

Place the torn kale into a separate bowl and add the dressing. Massage the dressing into the kale. Top with the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat.

*Note: I make the salad up in the morning and then take it with me to work for lunch. It is best to let the kale marinate in the salad dressing for at least a few hours before eating.*

So Freakin' Delicious!!!!!

Do you brown bag it to work/school or buy something when it's time to eat?

Enjoy your Thursday,

Andrea
xoxo

What I Ate Wednesday ~ Eating the Rainbow

I do not like to diet.

As soon as I start using the word diet as part of my daily plan,

I send myself down the road to failure.

For me dieting does not work. Healthy, consistent habits do.

One of my goals each and every day is to eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies.
It's easy to do this time of year with all of the fresh stuff that's so readily available.

Here's a sneak peek of my recent rainbow of eats...

Breakfast

Slow Cooked Zucchini Bread Steel Cut Oats
(yes, my garden is still producing oodles of zucchini --- do you want some?!)



Egg, Veggie & Cheese Breakfast Wrap



Lunch

I've been brown baggin' it lately.
Like I always say ~ Planning = Success

Garlicky Kale
Crockpot Applesauce
Whole Wheat Tortilla with Hummus

Veggie Wrap with Hummus



Snacks

I haven't taken any recent pics of my snacks, but over the past couple of days,
I've been eating chopped veggies with tzaztiki or a chopped apple.


Dinner
Lentil Veggie Mac & Cheese
Roasted Beets
(this pic does not do this meal justice - it was fabulous!)

I didn't eat all of this food on the same day (I swear!!!), but I wanted to show you that there are lots of delicious, healthy meal options that are packed full of nutrition.

My challenge to you this week is to make sure there is a rainbow on your plate at each and every meal this week. You'll feel great and your belly with thank you!

Thank you as always to Miss Jenn for encouraging us all to make and keep good habits as we enter into Fall. Make sure you take a few minutes to check out her site to get lots of healthy meal ideas!

I'm tellin' you --- eating healthy is EASY!!

What is your favourite veggie-packed meal?

Have a wonderful day,

Andrea

xoxo

Veggie Plate with Hummus and Chocolate Cashew Dip

What a great long weekend it has been with my mom! We have been to the movies, visited with family, gone out for dinner and brunch, driven all over Southwestern Ontario searching for a book that I have been wanting to buy and eating.....lots and lots of eating CARBS!!!

We have had banana cake, sweet potato cornbread, ravioli, gnocchi, spaghetti, toast and the list goes on and on. Today, I decided we needed to amp up our veggie and fruit intake and add some healthy dips to go along side for a healthy lunch.

I had some organic carrots, pears, kiwis and apples that I need to use up, as well as some leftover green onions from Saturday night's dinner. I also added some vegetable crackers that I needed to use up.

Doesn't that look refreshing?? I have been craving something green for days!

It won't take you long to figure out that I am a total sucker for dips. In fact, I can eat an entire bowl of dip in one sitting, so it's best if I have some healthy choices that I can whip up quickly and easily rather than digging into store bought dips that are full of fat and empty calories.

Hummus
Adapted from Oh She Glows

1 19 oz can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp spicy Herbamare (sea salt)
3 cloves of garlic
juice from 2 fresh organic lemons (approx 5 tbsp)
3 - 4 tbsp of water
1 tsp Frank's red hot
1/2 c tahini
1 tbsp olive oil

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Unfortunately my food processor bit the dust today, so I had to blend this in batches in my very old blender :-( 

Right before serving, drizzle with an additional tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.

This hummus is fantastic~it tastes great with fresh veggies, on crackers, in veggie wraps or on whole grain toast.

I also wanted to have something sweet, so that I could dip my fruit. I have been having a love affair with cashew butter lately and I only had a wee bit left in my jar....what better combo than to mix my favourite nut butter with a chunk of chocolate? The only question more pressing is why has it taken me so long to try this combination??

Chocolate Cashew Butter Dip
2 - 3 tbsp of all natural cashew butter
1 square of dark chocolate

Place in microwaveable dish and heat in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir after each 30 seconds.

Absolutely decadent!

I really loved this dip with the apples. I think it would also be divine with animal crackers.

This was such a great lunch - it was satisfying and healthy and provided us with lots of fruits and vegetables that our bodies were so badly craving.

My mom really loved the hummus (I did too), but I really loved my chocolate cashew butter dip. Thank goodness I only had enough to make a small little bowl because I finished every last bit!

Wishing you a wonderful Monday evening and lovely end to your long holiday weekend (if you were lucky like me to have one).

Andrea

PS - If you're craving something a little sweeter and more decadent, check out my girl, Kris's, contest at i heart wellness. Enter to win 6 of her bakery's decadent Chocolate Chip "Chips Enjoy" Cookie Sandwiches - they are vegan and gluten free!! Click the link above to enter. I'd wish you all good luck, but you're going to have to beat me to get these tasty treats!!