Kale Salad

I might just as well call this Crack Salad because I think that's probably how addicting it is. It is slightly modified from a recipe in Bon Apetit magazine sent to me by a friend.

My Saturday morning routine looks like this:  get up and have a cup of coffee, go to the gym and teach my Spin class, come home and make my kale salad. This makes enough for me to bring to work every day for lunch, and the occasional serving for dinner on rushed nights when there isn't time to make something else. My coworkers have threatened an intervention if I don't find another side for lunch, but I just can't stop! There are worse things to be addicted to than kale, right?

1 10 oz. bag of shredded brussels sprouts (pictured)

1 10 oz. bag of kale (pictured)

1/2 C olive oil

1/4 C lemon juice

1/2 shallot, minced (see directions below)

1 t bottled, minced garlic

2 T Dijon mustard

1/3 C sliced almonds

1 C finely grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by gently processing the bagged kale in a food processor until shredded, but not completely ground up, maybe 3-5 seconds; you might have to do 1/2 the bag at a time. When done, toss into a large bowl with shredded brussels sprouts. If you can't find shredded sprouts, shred them yourself in the food processor.

To make the dressing, I have cut down on work time by doing it in a magic bullet blender. If you don't have one, try a regular blender. If that doesn't work, chop shallots separately and add to the salad. Put shallot, oil, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper into the blender and process until dressing becomes smooth.

Toss greens with dressing, nuts, and cheese. The sturdiness of the greens will hold up under this dressing for days, but if you like things a little crisper, feel free to add the dressing as you eat the salad. Store covered in the fridge.

Veggie Burritos

I am obsessed with this recipe! A friend recently made me these burritos that were full of veggies and had this flavor I couldn't quite put my finger on... I asked her how she made them and she said she just threw them together without a recipe. Upon further prompting, I discovered the magic ingredient was cinnamon! I tried my best to recreate what she made, and I think I did a darn good job! These are easy, portable, freezable, and very filling. I use a tortilla that my mom actually sends me from Minnesota because I can't find them anywhere here (pictured below). Try to find one with minimal ingredients that is low carb, low calorie, and high in fiber.

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 T Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

12 ounce container salsa (I used a mild one with onions and cilantro, pictured)

2 avocados, peeled and cubed

2 C brown rice

1 t cinnamon

1 C shredded mozzarella
10-12 tortillas (see picture)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and cube sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Roast on a cookie sheet until tender, 20-30 minutes. Check and stir every 10 minutes to prevent burning.

Meanwhile, toss remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add sweet potatoes once slightly cooled. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Once everything is mixed (see picture - oooooo, colorful!) distribute about 1/2 C of mixture into one tortilla, roll and place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat until gone (my batch made 11 burritos this time, I've gotten 12 before). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. I like to wrap these individually in foil and freeze. I grab one in the morning for my lunch and just reheat for 2 minutes.