Do you struggle to get enough veggies in your family's diet?
What if you could do one simple thing, and make a big impact....would you do it?
This just might be the EASIEST WAY TO ADD VEGGIES without a total diet over hall.
HOW TO ADD KALE TO YOUR CURRENT MEALS
Kale became a popular 'superfood' several years ago. I, unlike many others, did NOT jump on the bandwagon right away. But when I did, I quickly found out what I was missing! I have learned that it's an easy way to increase the nutrient content of everyday meals!
Kale can be added to most dishes, and you barely know it's there, because when cooked with other food, it has a very mild taste. I'm NOT trying to sneak vegetables into my meals.
SIDE NOTE...Hiding foods is not a recommended practice because it doesn't teach kids to enjoy that particular food AND it will cause your child not to trust you. It's just not worth it! When they ask, let them know exactly what they are eating and give them a chance to either accept it or not. If it's not accepted the first time, continue to introduce the food. Some kids need MANY exposures to new foods before they give it a try.
Kale adds a burst of color and a TON OF NUTRIENTS. It is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables you can eat. If you want to load up on vitamins and minerals, consider trying some of these ways to add kale to your family's diet.
Here are my top 20 ways to use kale:
1. Soup - add to homemade and premade soups.
2. Smoothies - throw a couple pieces into your smoothie. It'll blend right in!
3. Chop up and cook into spaghetti sauce.
4. Pizza - add as a topping or mix/cook into the sauce.
5. Stew - adds a bright color and fresh taste. Mix in 10 minutes before eating.
6. Rice or noodle bowls
7. Curry's - it's not a traditional ingredient but tastes great!
8. Stir fry and fried rice - again...not traditional, but is the perfect boost of nutrients, colour and flavour!
9. Salads - this is an obvious one and it's easy! Chop it up small, and add it to your other leafy greens and veggies. I even add it to homemade coleslaw. Here are some delicious recipe ideas:
10. Nachos - chop it up with cilantro and throw it on top!
11. Eggs - have you tried green eggs and ham? It's a fun meal for everyone! Chop a handful of kale and add it to your scrambled eggs.
12. Burgers - add chopped kale to homemade burgers of any type - beef, chicken, turkey or bean burgers.
13. Lasagna - mix chopped kale with ricotta or cottage cheese as a layer in lasagna.
14. Pesto - blend up kale with fresh herbs, nuts or seeds, olive oil and parmesan cheese.
15. Stuffed peppers or cabbage rolls - mix kale with the filling.
16. On a sandwich or wrap in place of lettuce.
17. Mix with tuna, egg, or chicken salad.
18. Roast with vegetables in the oven (ie. peppers, red onion, zucchini, fennel, kale).
19. Kabobs - mix into your ground meat and form into sausage shapes - try my Greek Turkey Kabobs.
20. Kale chips - one of my favourite snacks:
Wash, dry and remove woody stems
Chop into bite size pieces
Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice
Bake at 300 degrees C in a single layer, until dried out - approximately 20-30 minutes.
Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
Put kale on your grocery list this week, and give one of these ideas a try. It'll add a boost of nutrients to your family meals, and give you peace of mind that they're eating their veggies.
As you can see, kale is a very versatile vegetable and is an affordable alternative to lettuce. Check out this blog post on saving money on food or watch my free webinar (see below) to learn ways you can eat well for less.
How will you incorporate kale into your meals?
Let me know. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you.
Consider sharing this with someone you think could benefit 😊
If you learned something or enjoyed reading this post, I'd love it if you would leave a comment and hit the ❤️.
Janine LaForte, RD
REAL LIFE NUTRITION