I got in trouble from one of my personal trainers last year for not eating enough green leafy vegetables.  To be fair, broccoli cheese was always a favourite but that ain’t exactly what we call “clean eating” these days is it?

Many of you will be aware that I am on a mission this year after letting myself go a bit last November and December.  Kale is a firm staple in our fridge.  It’s quite ironic as when I first tasted it, I was having lunch with clients and trying desperately not to throw up.  I was in early pregnancy with our first baby and the stuff made my skin crawl.  I was a passionate kale hater.

Not only is loads of kale great for a healthy eating plan but it does actually tastes pretty good too if you pair it up with the right flavour combos.  Here are some tips of how to get kale into your life.

Kale juice

Blend a handful of curly kale with frozen mango and water.  It takes minutes and is pretty tasty.  Get the balance right though.  It doesn’t need to be as green as it looks in the images below.  In fact, I made one this morning with way more mango than kale.  It came out like a light pale creamy green colour and tasted great.  Let the mango be the star of the juice.

Our 2 year old drinks it too.  He likes icy things to help ease the pain of his teething (yes we still have sore moments).  I find this a great and easy way to get green vegetables into him.

 

 

Kale in casseroles

Be it a roast chicken or a chicken casserole (we are big on lean meats at the moment), kale is so easy to throw in and it goes great with flavours like fresh lemon and stock.

 

Kale also goes great in a casserole.  I use a bit of curry paste and some stock to cook the chicken down and then steam the kale in it at the end.  It’s super tasty and a small dollop of creme fresh is great if you are not big on spicy.

Curly Kale stir fried with coconut oil, chilli and garlic

This is a great and simple side dish.

Heat a tbsp of coconut oil in a large wok, then add the kale and a couple tbsp water. Season, then stir-fry for 5-8 mins, adding the garlic and chilli for the final 2 mins. When the kale is tender and a vibrant green, remove from the heat and serve.  I would serve this alongside a salmon fillet or in a nice smoked salmon salad.

 

 

Kale in pasta

Yes – I am a kale keeno.  I need it to be quick and easy though and throwing it into a pasta dish is just that. Kale works well in a light pasta dish with fresh lemon juice and zest.

 

Got any more recipes for me?  Please fire them my way.  Kale, I love ya!