Spicy BBQ Kale Chips

I must admit, kale rules! It is so dense in nutrition that it is considered a complete food. Low fat, no cholesterol, powerful anti-oxidant powers (kicks cancer butt), loaded with Vitamin A to help your skin glow and improve your vision, Vitamin K to help with brain function, boosts metabolism, minerals such as copper, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus, helping to control blood pressure and heart rate,  offer protection from vitamin A deficiency, osteoporosis, iron deficiency anemia, and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and, colon and prostate cancers and on and on and on.

Problem is actually consuming it. It’s not exactly the tastiest thing on the planet. Until now. Kale chips are dehydrated to keep all of the healthy nutrition in tact and coated with a delicious spicy BBQ flavoring to make, more or less, edible. Actually, it’s delicious and a great way to consume an entire head of kale in one day. They become addicting, like potato chips, except you don’t feel guilty about consuming a large bag of them. Just be warned, they get stuck in your teeth, so make sure to check your smile when you are done eating them.

Spicy BBQ Kale Chips

3 large heads of Kale, preferably organic

Coating

1 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds, soaked for 2 hours, drained

1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Ground Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle flavor

1/8 tsp. Pink Himalayan Salt

Wash kale. Tear kale into large bite sized pieces. Keep in mind they shrink a bit in the dehydrator.  Put into large bowl. Set aside.

For the coating. Put all coating ingredients into a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth. Gently scoop onto the kale and gently massage (with your hands) into the kale, making sure each piece is generously coated. Lay pieces out in a single layer on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate for 8-10 hours, or overnight, at 110 degrees.

This is what they look like when they come out of the dehydrator.

And here they are in all of their yummy goodness glory.

And again…I just can’t get enough.

Finally, make sure you lightly coat the dehydrator trays with EVOO so they don’t stick and make a giant mess. I had to learn that the hard way.

Enjoy!

I think I will call these Chocolate Apple Sandwiches

I had a craving for something sweet, but was fresh out of nuts. So, I had to turn up the brain power and figure out something to make with what I had on hand. I threw these ingredients together and ended up with a surprisingly good treat. In fact, my son thinks they are the best and wants to take them to school, but won’t because he thinks everyone will think he is weird. *Sigh*

Chocolate Apple Sandwiches

3 fresh medjool dates
8 small dried dates
1/3 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
3/4 cup Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
1 cup ground Flax Seeds

2-3 Tart Apples (such as Granny Smith or Jonathans), thinly sliced

Shredded Coconut, Raw, Unsweetened

Blend dates and raisins in the food processor till smooth. Add agave nectar, cocoa powder and flax seeds. Blend till well incorporated. Build sandwich by placing a small quarter sized ball of the chocolate mixture on a slice of apple, press in a pinch of shredded coconut and top with another slice of apple. Press together to make a nice flattened sandwich form.

Jicama Mexican Rice

I was paruzing through my Facebook Newsfeed and came across this wonderful recipe that the fabulous Ani Phoy posted on her page, Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen Show where she posted a link to her blog that included this recipe. I am posting it on here more of a reference for myself for later and to share it with you. Since I tried Jicama for the first time yesterday, I am interested in trying more recipes with it. It is a bland and crunchy texture that is versitile and I can’t wait to play with it.

Jicama Mexican Rice
makes 4 servings

• 4 cups jicama, peel, dice
• 1/2 cup onion, yellow, chop
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup red bell pepper, dice
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chop
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, chop, to taste (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons olive or hemp oil, optional
• Juice of 1 Lime

Place jicama in food processor, process into small bits. Be careful not to over process. Scoop into mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, toss to mix well.