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Probiotics Never Tasted SO GOOD!

Smoothie bowls are quite the trend and so is GUT health! My new favorite probiotic rich food is Kefir--did you know it has 2 x the probiotics as yogurt, and a variety of probiotic strains (that is a good thing). Two things you can do to improve gut health are to: 1) EAT more fiber rich foods 2) Get probiotics everyday! This recipe does both--ENJOY!

http://www.universityhealth.org/kefir-bowl-breakfast

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Superfood of the Month: Avocados

First off… what is a “superfood”?

A superfood is a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. Meaning, a food packed with beneficial nutrients!

What makes an avocado so “super”?

They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, such as: vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium and potassium.

Contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammartory properties that help reduce triglyceride and bad cholesterol levels, while increasing good cholesterol levels.

Provides the body with large amounts of essential amino acids.

Helps promote good digestion as a good source of fiber.

The list could keep going, but basically avocados are awesome!!

How do you know when they’re ripe?

If you’re using an avocado for guacamole or as part of a meal, you’ll definitely want a ripe one to cut into! Ripe avocados aren’t bright green as pictured above, but dark purple/black in color. Also, you may use your thumb to slightly press into the avocado, but the skin should be able to bounce back. Another trick is to remove the stem… if it removes easily and is green underneath, then it’s ready! However, if it removes too easily and brown underneath, it may be too mushy. If it’s hard to remove, the avocado is most likely not ready to cut into yet.

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Don’t let food labels confuse and frustrate you… instead use this chart for easy navigation!

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Getting Started

Beautiful kale from the farmers market. Kale chips is our favorite way to eat this nutrient rich vegetable. However fresh farmers market kale is so tender and delicious that it can be used raw in salads. To encourage you to try it in a salad my first post will be my Massaged Kale Salad--Yum. 

Massaged Kale:

1 big bunch of kale, cleaned, tough stems removed and torn into small pieces (about 12 cups)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/8-1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (start with less salt, add more if needed)

Combine kale, oil and salt in a large bowl and gently massage the kale, squeezing it through your fingers for 1-2 minutes.  It will become shiny and have a more velvet like texture. It will also decrease by about half. Drain out any accumulated juices if any.  Place kale on a platter and dress on top when ready to serve. 

Dressing:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or rice vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. 

Toppings: 

2 bartlett pears, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1/2-1 cup chopped or shredded Asiago cheese 

Chop pears, and toss with dressing (to keep from turning brown).  Evenly distribute the pears, scallions and cheese over the kale. Add desired amount of dressing and enjoy. Use the dressing sparingly as you may find kale prepared this way does not need a lot of dressing--add a little at a time and taste. 

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients: 150 calories, 6g fat, 300mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 6g protein.