Kale, Kale, Kale!

I'm sure you have heard all the rave about kale by now. Kale has many wonderful benefits, particularly its powerful effects in battling and preventing cancer.

Here are a few ways in which my family and I incorporate kale into our diet. As it so happens, all of these recipes are also gluten-free.

Kale chips

I have made kale chips before but wasn't thrilled with the results. After reading a friend's post about kale chips needing to be absolutely dry, I decided to give it a try again....And loved it!

1 bunch of kale
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp of balsamic vinegar

salt to taste (optional)

I followed these directions (slightly adapted):

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse kale and dry well, using a salad spinner or drying by hand with paper towels.

Toss kale in just enough olive oil for a light coating, about 1 Tbsp.

Add balsamic vinegar (and salt, optional) and mix well.

Lay kale in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes.

Check regularly as the kale chips can go from not-quite-done to overdone quickly.

Eat immediately and store leftovers in an airtight container to keep them crisp.

Sauteed Kale

Kale

Soy sauce (I like to use organic gluten-free soy sauce. It has a lighter taste than regular soy sauce.)

Coconut oil

Sliced almonds

Shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

Warm coconut oil in a pan. Place kale in the pan and sprinkle with a "dash" of soy sauce (just enough to taste).

Cook until kale is tender.

Place on a serving dish/bowl and top with sliced almonds and shredded coconut.

Kale Smoothie

Place various fruits and vegetables with kale (of course) into a blender.

Here is a sample recipe that I like:

Bananas

Strawberries
Blueberries
Cooked carrots
Kale
Greek yogurt
Milk
Raw Honey (optional)

Place fruit and vegetables into a blender.

Add greek yogurt (and raw honey, optional) and 4-5 ice cubes.
Add enough milk to blend everything together.
Blend well and serve immediately.

Savory Chicken Nuggets

I have been looking for a recipe for chicken nuggets that are egg-free and yet moist and flavorful.

This recipe is all of those!

I've made a few adjustments, but here it is:
(I have also included a gluten-free and/or dairy-free option at the bottom of this post!)

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (I use Trader Joe's bread crumbs and add my own Italian seasonings)

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 tsp salt

1/3 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup butter, melted

Cut up chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces. Soak in milk or buttermilk overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme, and basil. Put melted butter in a separate bowl for dipping.

Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway during baking time.

These go great with a side of fries, like these.  Enjoy!

* For an dairy-free option, soak the chicken pieces overnight in coconut milk instead of milk, and leave out the butter and parmesan cheese. They still taste great! 

* For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free bread crumbs, such as Glutino.
I have made these nuggets in a gluten-free and dairy-free form, using gluten-free bread crumbs, coconut milk, spices, and salt. They were still delicious!