Roasted Garlic and Cayenne Kale Chips

I've been in the kitchen experimenting again, and surprise surprise, I've got another winner. In the past I've made kale chips with lacinato kale or dinosuar kale as it's sometimes referred to. The flatness of this type of kale doesn't allow for chunky nut mixtures to stick to it very well -- which is what I was going for with this recipe.

Lately, I've been buying the curly kale chips. And trying out all the different flavors has been fun and delicious. However, I don't like that they're so darn expensive. Shelling out $7 or $8 for a tiny package just won't be happening on a regular basis for me. So, what's a gal to do? That's right ... make her own. And I've done just that.

Check it out.

Ingredients:

5 stalks curly kale
25 raw almonds
1/2 lemon
roasted garlic seasoning
cayenne pepper
coconut oil (or olive oil)

Directions: Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. Place parchment paper on baking sheet, set aside. In a food processor, pulse almonds until they reach a course meal consistency. If you don't have a food processor, try a blender (though you may need to use more to get it to blend). You can also place almonds in a sealed plastic baggie and beat with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to get a similar consistency. Whatever you do, don't skip this ingredient. It gives the chips a great heartiness and helps make them a filling snack.

Wash kale and trim from stalks. Cut kale into chip-sized pieces. Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, almonds and seasoning. Take the lemons and squeeze all the juice onto the kale. Mix thoroughly. Place kale on baking sheet with the parchment paper. Place in oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Now for a little secret! At this time, turn off oven and leave kale inside until oven cools. This helps make them extra crispy without overcooking them.

Enjoy!


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Fit in 5: New Year Challenge

You know the drill. The New Year is finally here, and that means it's time to focus on improving yourself. Maybe you want to read more. Procrastinate less. Get fit. Whatever.

It's a time to do you.

This is a fantastic tradition that I believe in totally. We can all be better versions of ourselves, and that's what I'm all about: Empowerment through improvement.

Now when it comes to fitness, it can get tricky. Everybody has questions. "What should my diet look like?" "How often should I work out?"  ... "What exercises should I do?" ... "When should I do them?"

All these questions, normal as they are, can lead to that feeling of being overwhelmed, which can make the most well-intentioned people do absolutely nothing. Nada. And that's not empowering at all.

Let me offer some assistance. I've designed a five-day program to jump start your fitness routine.

It's complete with a sample daily meal plan and exercise program that covers everything. All you have to do is the work.

The nutrition plan consists of several meals each day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) to provide you with good sources of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats that really boost your metabolism.

The workout plan consists of daily cardio plus a muscle group specific exercise routine for each day (Monday for shaping legs. Tuesday for toning arms and abs, etc.). The routines include set and rep suggestions and links to exercise demos.

This program will help you maximize your gym membership. You can choose to do this program for the five days, or repeat the program each week up to 4 weeks. Ready to go? It's only $9. But it's only available for a limited time -- just like your chance to use the New Year to help create a New You.

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Banana Nut Protein Muffins with Coffee

Let me be frank. A lot of delicious foods made into protein versions are just plain gross.

Nasty.

Yup, I said it. This is why I set out to make some muffins that actually taste good and aren't hard little rocks being passed off as edible objects that you have to choke down while wondering, why the heck am I eating this?

The muffins I created are not only yummy, but they're a quick grab-n-go option. If you have a hard time eating breakfast or frequently miss your post-workout shake or meal, then this is great for you -- and for everyone else.

Check it out!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup protein (I used Isopure with coffee which adds a nice kick.)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
dash sea salt
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup buttermilk, plus (or use regular milk and add 1/4 tsp vinegar, let sit for 5 min)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 ripe banana, mashed
1-2 cups nuts of choice (I used pecans)

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the protein, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt together well with a spoon. In a small bow, beat one egg with a fork. Then to the dry ingredients add the egg, oil, milk, vanilla and banana. With a spatula, incorporate all the ingredients until moist. Depending on how much moisture the banana added, you may need to add a little more milk. You want the consistency to look like the picture below. Spray paper muffin cups with a nonstick spray and fill cups halfway. Add crumpled pieces of nuts of choice on top. Bake for 12-14 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Once cooled, store in an airtight container. Or you can freeze extras for a later date. Makes 12-14 muffins.

Tips:

• Mix by hand. Don't use an electric mixer. Too much mixing will make the muffins dry.
• I use ripe bananas that have been frozen. When they thaw, there tends to be a lot of water which adds a little extra liquid to the batter which helps it look like the picture above. 
• The buttermilk or milk with vinegar helps make the muffins moist. If you use regular milk or a non-dairy milk substitute, I can't guarantee tastiness. 
• Don't skip spraying the muffin cups with a nonstick spray. It also helps keep the muffins moist.  
• You don't have to use the coffee protein powder, but again, I can't guarantee tastiness. 
• This mix can be used in a loaf pan. 

Enjoy!