Baked Kale Chips

As mentioned in my last post, I picked up a bunch of kale at the farmer's market. One thing I really wanted to try with it is baked kale chips. I've seen them around on various blogs, and I've read kale chips can help calm your potato chip cravings, so it was worth a try!

In the end, there's a few things I'd do differently the second time around, but they definitely have potential.

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that's considered a "superfood." It's high in fiber and dense in nutrients. It's a good substitution for lettuce in your salad if you're not a big vegetable eater--more bang for your buck! I'm also excited to try it in my protein smoothies.

First, preheat the oven to 375. Next, tear the leafs from the stems. Toss leafs with vegetable oil in a bowl or ziplock bag. Add garlic powder and shake until the leaves are evenly coated. One mistake I made was using too much garlic powder. Just give a light sprinkle.

Next, lay the leafs out on a cookie sheet with a sheet of tin foil. This helps in cleanup and makes the kale more crispy. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and put in the over. (You could really use any seasoning you want...the recipe I followed used garlic powder and parmesan cheese.)

The recipe I followed called for baking them for 15 minutes. This was about 5 minutes too long and my chips had a little more of a charred taste than I care for. I flipped them at about the 7 minute mark. If I did it again, I'd bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway.

It really was a strange taste. They really did taste like potato chips, just much thinner and tasted a little burnt since I cooked them too long. They were very crunchy and I'm excited to give it another try.

I thought they were OK, Kevin didn't care for them, and Brian actually liked them. We also boiled sweet corn, grilled potatoes, and grilled burgers and chicken breast. It was a delicious Saturday lunch.

 Yum yum!

Protein Energy Bites

I got this recipe from my mom who makes these a lot and they're pretty yummy so I thought I'd give them a try. I'm always very skeptical of my mom's health-related suggestions (sorry, mom) because I tend to take a more natural and holistic approach to health. I'm a bit of a hippie.

In the Farrell's program, the main focus when it comes to healthy meals is a good balance of protein and carbs, and these balls are a perfect fit.

Here's what you need:

1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/3 cup honey (I used a little less... I was suspicious of the fact there are no nutrition facts on honey.)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla (I used 1 tsp...what's the point of a 1/2 tsp?!)
1/2 cup peanut butter

My mom uses "meal" or "ground" flaxseed, but I wasn't sure what to get and of course mom never answers her phone when it's imperative. :p. I can't really taste the difference. I think mine have a bit more of a crunch because I used whole seeds but I'm ok with it. I think I actually like it better with the whole seeds. If you're shopping at Fareway, flaxseed is in the baking aisle. If you're at HyVee, it's in the Health Market and every employee you ask will look at you like flaxseed isn't a real thing and you'll have to hunt it down yourself.

Both flaxseed and oatmeal are pretty high in protein, as is peanut butter. Flaxseed also provides healthy fats and is high in fiber. I also use Omega-3 peanut butte because the NuVal number is higher at HyVee and I think it's yummier.

Mix it all up and let it chill in the fridge for an hour before rolling into balls.

This recipe makes 20 balls. According to my calculations and similar recipes I found online, each ball has about 10 carbs and 5 grams of protein. As far as serving size goes, I will probably eat 2 at a time, maybe 3 if I'm really feeling lethargic.

This will be a perfect snack right before a workout to give me a little extra energy before my workout. It will also be great to tide me over (is it 'tie me over' or 'tide me over'? I've never actually typed that phrase out before)... in that stage after my workout when I'm so hungry I could eat my arm off, and too hungry to properly function to make something.

I also want to point out the fact that Kevin is a really good husband to actually let me get these dishes as seen below. Every time I open up my cupboard I just stop and stare at how pretty! They're Fiestaware if any brides-to-be out there are plotting register for them also. And did you happen to notice my measuring cups? Also a rainbow. While we're pointing things out, that mason jar tumbler is from Bed, Bath, and Beyond and is the perfect travel mug for breakfast protein smoothies.

Let me know if you give these a try! They're pretty yummy and I actually do feel like I have extra energy after I eat a couple. Off to do a double kickboxing class! Happy Hump Day.