Getting Fit, Healthy Meals, Uncategorized, What's Cooking

Tomatillo Salsa and Kale Lime Caesar Salad

Posted by Cooking in Cowboy Boots on

It’s a long weekend and it is so hot here that all I want to do is stay in my nice cool house pexels-photo-133184and putter, so that is what I am doing.  It was a perfect opportunity to hang out in my kitchen! Since it has been kind of low key, I thought I would just share a couple of yummy recipes with you using the tart and cool taste of Lime – Enjoy!

Salsa Verde

This Salsa Verde is so good, you will run out of salsa long before you run out of chips!

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Ingredients

 Salsa Verde

8 Medium Tomatillos – husked and scored on the bottom

1 (or 2) Medium Jalapeno (seeded if you want to down play the spice)

5 cloves of garlic (more if you love garlic) – unpeeled

3\4 Tablespoon Lime Juice

1 Drop Lime Essential Oil (I use Young Living Vitality EO)Lime Vitality

1 Medium Onion – quartered and peeled

1/3 Cup Cilantro – Chopped

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

½ Teaspoon Pepper

Directions

  1. Position a rack on the highest position in the oven. I use the highest preset closest to the broiler. Turn the oven on to Broil
  2. Lay a layer of foil on a baking sheet and turn up the edges to prevent juices from running off. Add the tomatillos, white onions, jalapeño, and garlic and broil until the skins are charred.  Take vegies out and turn over to char the other side. Be sure to keep a close eye on them, you only want them charred, not burnt. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Peel the garlic, remove the charred parts from the tomatillos, remove the tops of the jalapeños. If you’d like a milder salsa, remove the seeds from the jalapeño. This is optional, feel free to leave the seeds in if you prefer a spicier salsa.
  4. Add the ingredients to a food processor or dice it all up, along with the cilantro, lime juice, lime essential oil, salt and pepper. Pulse to desired consistency. Pour the salsa into a serving bowl and serve immediately or let cool for several hours in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days  

Now, I’ll never forget the first time I had a Kale Salad – and I only tried it because I know easy-kale-recipes-400x400that out of all the super healthy greens – Kale is King!  To say that it was nasty is an understatement. I thought that the leaves were so sharp and woody tasting, almost to the point of cutting the roof of my mouth but I knew I should eat it anyway.  Kale is one of the healthiest and most nutritious plant foods in existence and is loaded with all sorts of beneficial compounds…some of which have powerful medicinal properties. Here are some health benefits of kale, all supported by science. (source: http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-kale#section9)

  • Kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants Like Quercetin and Kaempferol
  • Kale, like other leafy greens, is very high in antioxidants
  • Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C – The truth is… kale is actually among the world’s best sources of Vitamin C. A cup of raw kale even contains more vitamin C than a whole orange.
  • Kale can help lower cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of heart disease
  • Kale is one of the world’s best sources of vitamin K, with a single raw cup containing almost 7 times the recommended daily amount.
  • Kale is very high in beta carotene, an antioxidant that the body can turn into vitamin A.
  • Many important minerals are found in kale, some of which are generally lacking in the modern diet. This includes calcium, potassium and magnesium.
  • Kale is high in lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that have been linked to a drastically reduced risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

I knew that if I was going to be adding a significant amount of kale into my diet, I would have to figure out another way to eat it.  So, while looking for recipes with kale I ran across this amazing blog! This gal has changed my view on Kale salads – for the better! She talkspexels-photo-545013 about massaging your kale (yes, I said massage! When I asked my grandson to take a picture of my hand massaging this kale, he looked at me cross eyed and said “why exactly?” and then, the picture didn’t even turn out – I think he was embarrassed and wanted it to just be over already) but in all seriousness, once I started massaging my kale, it was a game changer for me!https://cookieandkate.com/2014/12-favorite-kale-salads/

  1. Remove the ribs: Regardless of which variety of kale you choose (they all make great salads), you’ll first want to remove the tough ribs from the leaves. Use a sharp knife to slice out the stems or just pull the leaves from the ribs with your fingers. The ribs are too chewy and distracting to include in the salad, but you can chop them and sauté them later. Or feed them to your dog, whatever works!
  2. Chop the kale: Then, you’ll want to chop the kale into pretty small, bite-sized pieces. Eating kale salads made with pieces of giant kale is mighty awkward.
  3. Sprinkle with salt: Next, transfer the kale to a serving bowl and sprinkle it lightly with sea salt (salt helps cut the bitter flavor of kale).
  4. Massage the kale: Yes, this step sounds ridiculous, but it makes all the difference. Reach into the bowl with (clean) hands and start grabbing handfuls of kale. Scrunch, release, scrunch, release. Repeat until the kale is fragrant and dark green. This makes the kale less poky and more palatable. Kale is tough, so don’t worry about damaging the leaves! This step should take 30 seconds or less.
  5. Dress the kale: Drizzle in a bold dressing and massage that into the leaves so the kale is lightly and evenly coated with dressing (this is important!). Kale does particularly well with zippy dressings. If you’ve always followed the standard vinaigrette formula (one part vinegar to three parts oil), you’ll probably want to up the ratio of vinegar for kale salads.
  6. Toss well: Now is the time to toss in additions like toasted nuts, grated/crumbled cheese and/or chopped raw fruits and veggies. If you have time, let the salad marinate for ten minutes before serving.

Kale Lime Caesar Salad

If you need a recipe that makes Kale edible, this is it! With its lighter Caesar Dressing, your guests will be amazed!

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Ingredients

 Kale Lime Caesar Salad

  • 4 cups chopped fresh kale (massaged)
  • 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups croutons
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 batch Lime Caesar Dressing, below
  • optional: 5 slices of cooked bacon (crumbled)

Lime Caesar Salad Dressing

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (you can use real mayonnaise instead)
  • 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 drops of Lime Essential Oil (I use Young Living Lime Vitality EO)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk

Directions

TO MAKE THE KALE CAESAR SALAD:

  1. Add the massaged kale (call me crazy but this will be the difference in your Kale salad and all the others that nobody wants to eat! See below for massage details), Romaine, croutons, Parmesan, dressing, and bacon (if using) to a large bowl.  Toss until combined.
  2. Serve immediately.

TO MAKE THE LIME CAESAR DRESSING:

  1. Add all ingredients except milk to a small mixing bowl, and whisk together until combined and smooth.  Whisk in a tablespoon of milk at a time until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.
  2. Use immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
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Enjoy!

Till next time,

Raegan

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