Green Applecado Smoothie

INGREDIENTS
1 banana
1 cup water
1.5 cups kale
1/2 avocado
1 apple

DIRECTIONS
Put all ingredients into Vitamix. Set to smoothie setting on Vitamix and let program run to completion.
Good the next day. If you want to drink immediately replace water or some of fruit for frozen.

NOTES
Serves 1 (approximately 20 ounces)
It was very thick. Try more water.
Future Avocado recipes to try: http://www.healthysmoothiehq.com/avocado-smoothie-recipes

Chicken in Tomato Sauce With Chickpeas and Kale

YIELD: Serves 4  *  ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes  *  TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup breadcrumbs (I didn't use)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated with a Microplane
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried red chili flakes
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought, low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups lacinato (Tuscan) kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 2-inch ribbons

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Optional if you are going to use breadcrumbs - Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the breadcrumbs and toast them, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Transfer breadcrumbs to plate and set aside.

2.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sear on both sides until golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

3.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chili flakes and remaining 1 tablespoon each oregano and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, their liquid and the stock and bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sauce has thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4.  Stir in chickpeas and kale and cook until chickpeas are warmed through and kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Top with the breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

Recipe from Serious Eats.

Blueberry & Kale Grain Salad

Yield: Makes 8 servings (or 4/5 meals)
Hands-on: 20 Minutes
Total: 2 Hours, 5 Minutes

Salad Ingredients:
1 cup wheat berries (which takes an hour to make. A quicker substitute is Farro)
1 teaspoon table salt
1 (8-oz.) package sugar snap peas
4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette
2 cups fresh blueberries (awesome addition are purple grapes)
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation: 
1. Bring wheat berries, salt, and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, cook peas in boiling salted water to cover 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water; drain and pat dry. Slice in half. Drain wheat berries; rinse under cold water until cool.

3. Toss together kale, wheat berries, and 1/4 cup vinaigrette in a large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Stir in blueberries, pecans, and sugar snap peas. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.



Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 large shallot, minced
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard

Preparation:
Stir together red wine vinegar and minced shallot; let stand 10 minutes. Whisk in olive oil and remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Notes: 
Recipe from Southern Living's july-2014-recipe-list.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with White Beans & Greens

Serves 4  * Prep Time 20 minutes * Total Time 1 hr 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups (or 1 can) cooked and drained white beans
6 cups kale, trimmed and sliced into ribbons (can add other greens too like spinach)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them in a few places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Start the beans and greens about 15 to 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done.

In a wide, deep saucepan with a cover, heat the olive oil over low-moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the kale is soft. Stir in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice each sweet potato lengthwise and push on the ends to open up the middle. Spoon the beans and greens into the center.

Recipe from the kitchn

Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, & Kale Casserole

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Hands-on:55 Minutes
Total:1 Hour, 45 Minutes

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower (1 1/2 to 2 lb.), cut into small florets
1 (8-oz.) package fresh cremini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 large sweet potatoes (2 1/2 to 3 lb.), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped fresh kale, collards, or mustard greens
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 (14-oz.) can butter beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
Easy Cheese Sauce (see below for recipe)
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 475°. Toss together cauliflower, mushrooms, 2 1/2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Spread cauliflower/mushroom mixture in a single layer in jelly-roll pan.

2. Toss together sweet potatoes, 2 1/2 Tbsp. oil, and remaining cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer in another jelly-roll pan.

3. Bake potatoes and cauliflower at 475° for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned and just tender, turning once. Cool on wire racks 10 minutes.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add kale; cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste; stir in vinegar.

5. Layer half each of sweet potatoes, cauliflower mixture, beans (if desired), kale, and 1 1/2 cups Easy Cheese Sauce in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese sauce. Stir together panko, chopped cilantro, and olive oil, and sprinkle crumb mixture over casserole. Note - I only did one layer of each. 

6. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated, bubbly, and golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



Easy Cheese Sauce Recipe (You can get away with only making a half of this recipe)

Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cups
Hands-on:25 Minutes
Total:25 Minutes

Ingredients
1/3 cup dry vermouth*
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups half-and-half
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded pepper Jack cheese

Preparation
1. Bring vermouth and garlic to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until vermouth is reduced to 1 Tbsp.

2. Whisk together half-and-half and cornstarch. Whisk half-and-half mixture, salt, and pepper into vermouth mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until mixture is thickened. Add pepper Jack cheese. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat, and use immediately.

*Dry sherry may be substituted.

Recipe from Southern Living's January 2014 issue.

Winter Kale & Squash Citrus Salad

Ingredients
Kale
Butternut Squash, peeled, cut & roasted in 400 degree oven for 1 hour
Grapefruit
Dried Cranberries
Raw Cashews
Cherry Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinaigrette for dressing

Kale & Shrimp W/French Lentils

Servings: 2.5 Prep Total: 35 Mins

Ingredients
* 1 cup green french lentils
* 1 pound shrimp, peeled (1/2 bag, defrosted)
* 1 bunch kale, ends trimmed and cut into ribbons
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
* 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1)
* 2 Tbs. Herbs De Provence (dried thyme, dried savory, dried majoram, dried rosemary, and dried lavender flowers)
* 1 pinch crushed red pepper
* 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* juice from half a lemon
* 1/4 cup dry white wine (or red if it's all you have at home)
* fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
* 1/2 tsp coarse salt
* 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:  Cook the lentils in boiling water until tender, 25 minutes. Drain, if necessary.
On a plate, toss the shrimp with the Herbs De Provence and crushed red pepper.
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and sear for 2 minutes. Flip and sear 30 more seconds. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the wine and deglaze the pan. Scrap up the good browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the liquid has mostly absorbed, add the garlic and bloom for 30 seconds. Add the kale and cherry tomatoes; saute until wilted, 1 minute.
To the pot with the lentils, add the kale mixture and seared shrimp. Taste and season with salt and pepper, accordingly. Drizzle with remaining oil and spritz with lemon. Toss together and serve with the parsley as garnish!

Comments: Thank you Bev Cooks for the recipe.