Kale Pesto

I am on a pasta kick this week so I decided to make some pesto. I don't have any basil...don't have any pine nuts...so I am going to make a kale pesto with walnuts or cashews (or whatever I have in the pantry). Some will substitute arugula or spinach for the green and if you are dairy-free you may omit the cheese.

Pesto is a simple, tasty sauce of crushed green leaves, nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, typically served with pasta (hot or cold). However, pesto is known to have many uses. Pesto can be eaten on salmon, chicken breasts, shrimp, potatoes, steak, pizza, as a marinade, as a smear on bread. Get creative! Some will even put it in their eggs at breakfast...but even I am not that creative.

Pesto can be refrigerated or frozen easily. If you intend to freeze the pesto, leave the cheese out and add it when you thaw the pesto, prior to serving. Add a layer of extra virgin olive oil on top to keep the pesto from losing its bright color.

Kale Pesto

1/2 c diced walnuts (OR pine nuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts)
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 c kale
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
Dash of lemon juice (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

*Toasting the nuts will give you a more robust flavor

Add nuts to a small saucepan and toast on the stove top for approximately 2 minutes, tossing constantly. Remove from heat and cool.

Pulse garlic clove in food processor for about 30 seconds. Add kale, toasted nuts and cheese and pulse. Add olive oil into the food processor in a steady stream until you get the consistency you desire. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice. Serve over pasta or your favorite dish.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Spaghetti with Braised Kale

Today is National Spaghetti Day! Who comes up with this stuff anyway?

So here is a little history I am certain everyone is dying to know about spaghetti. It is often claimed that Marco Polo brought spaghetti to Italy after his travels to China. However, historical references to pasta exist in Italy prior to Polo's return. References to pasta-like doughs have been found amongst the Ancient Greeks and Romans, but it is thought that it was actually the Arabs who brought this type of noodles to Italy during their conquest of Sicily. The word spaghetti derives from the Italian 'spago', meaning 'thin string' or 'twine'. Under Italian law, dried pastas must be made with 100% durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina. Outside of Italy other flours are commonly used, such as wheat flour, though this results in softer pasta which cannot be cooked al dente in the traditional Italian way.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

I thought I would have to abandon all of the things I loved when I cut refined sugar and all things "white" from my diet. And then I discovered whole grain pasta. It did not look very appetizing; it was brown for goodness sake. But I find that whole grain pastas are much richer and heartier in taste than your refined (white) pastas. If you don't make a fuss about it, once you add the sauce to your dish, many won't even know the difference.

Why eat whole grain pasta? Whole grain contains considerable protein, antioxidants, B vitamins, minerals, and fiber. High-fiber diets drive down harmful glucose, insulin, and fat levels in the blood and fiber is very kind to your mid-section. And who doesn't want a slim waistline? You will typically find Barilla and Healthy Harvest whole grain pasta varieties in your local grocery store. But if you can find it, I use Tinkyada's organic brown rice pasta.

Just because it is National Spaghetti Day does not mean we are doing your traditional spaghetti and meatballs!

Spaghetti with Braised Kale

1/2 lb whole grain spaghetti
1 handful dried porcini mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch of kale
1/4 c white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Soak mushrooms in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

Heat approximately 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet and saute the onion for 3-5 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Chop the kale and add to the onion and garlic mixture. Add the wine and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add the spaghetti to the kale mixture. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

 

 

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Shrimp & White Bean Soup

Who said you could only eat soup in the winter? I am at it again...my second day of craving soup even though it is the dead of summer. Most people prefer a chilled zucchini soup or a green pea soup during the warmer months. But I have never been one to follow the crowd.

I am addicted to kale! So I decided on a kale, shrimp and white bean soup for lunch today. Truthfully, it is going to be a busy week and it would be something quick and easy to heat up for lunch with a warm piece of buttermilk cornbread.

Clearly I am not the only one who eats soup all year around. My girlfriend is in town from Minneapolis and she came through the door with a bowl of soup from Panera. Who knew?

Shrimp and White Bean Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 small red potatoes, diced (skin on)
1 15 oz can white beans (cannellini, navy or Great Northern)
4 c chicken stock
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 c medium shrimp, deveined
2 c kale

In medium sized stock pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and celery and saute until translucent, about 5  minutes. Add potatoes, beans (do not drain), chicken stock and seasonings. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add shrimp during the last 7 minutes of cooking; add kale during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Green Smoothie

I know it is hard for some of you to fathom that I went from baking cakes, cookies, pastries and making ice-cream every day to now blogging about weird green stuff in a tall glass. I am almost certain some of my dessert fans may delete me from their bookmarks but I assure you I will still be sharing those recipes as well. But hey, what's wrong with having options? 

So as many of you know, I have fallen in love with kale in just about anything and try to incorporate it into my meals at least once a day. I recently started making a raw kale salad and now I have graduated to using it in green smoothies, my new favorite thing. There are so many smoothie variations you can make. But for the green smoothies I prefer apples or pears, kale or spinach, and ginger. The rest depends on what I have in the fridge. I tend to toss a little flax and a scoop of protein shake powder in there too. Other options for greens include celery, chard, romaine, beet greens, and collard greens. You'll want to leave the skin on the fruits that have edible skin to ensure you get the essential nutrients and vitamins your body craves.

Now I know what you're thinking. Trust me, three years ago you could not have convinced me that I would be raving about a glass of blended fruits and vegetables either. But, with the right combination, you hardly know the veggies are even in there.

Several years back my father was on a health kick and was telling my son that they would be eating beets, spinach, Fuji apples and carrots for breakfast in the form of a shake. Needless to say, those visits became a little bit more infrequent as my son is in love with cows and pigs. Though he did admit that the smoothies were not as bad as he'd anticipated.

Some of the benefits of drinking green smoothies are better digestion, more energy, fewer mood swings, less cravings, stabilized blood sugar, and more radiant skin. Who doesn't want that?
 
So come on...take a deep breath...open your mouth...take a sip...not so bad, is it? Save for the fact that it has this vibrant green color, you would hardly know it is good for you because it really tastes delicious.

 
Green Smoothie

2 c fresh baby spinach or fresh kale, rinsed
1 Granny Smith green apple, cored
1 banana, peeled (optional)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground flax seed
1 c plain organic yogurt
Ice cubes, if desired
Almond or soy milk, if desired

Wash and cut fresh fruit, removing core and seeds. Add fruit and grated ginger to blender with kale (or spinach), flax and yogurt. Blend a few seconds. Add ice cubes and blend until you reach desired consistency. Incorporate milk to thin smoothie, if necessary. Drink up!

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Kale: The Superfood

I’m baaaack!

I have been on a little hiatus because after eliminating sugar from my diet, baking has become pure torture! I have been struggling for the last two months on what to do with this blog because I am so passionate about blogging, baking, and cooking in general. So I spent a lot of time debating on whether to just blog about desserts when I make them for events or houseguests, help people become more health conscious with some of the information I have learned over the last year, create healthy versions of my favorite desserts, or stop blogging altogether.

I have concluded that I want to recreate the blog to be about food, plain and simple. So we have a new look and a new name! Virtually Everything Sweet just did not work with what I was trying to do. So the new name is Sweet Treats n’ Good Eats. Who says I can’t have the best of both worlds?

The definition of a superfood is a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. I have been incorporating more superfoods and fiber rich foods into my diet. One of the items I have truly come to enjoy is kale. Kale is a great source of beta-carotene, which is one of the antioxidants believed to prevent cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. With it being rich in fiber, it promotes regular digestion, prevents constipation and lowers blood sugar.

Kale’s dark leaves are also rich in calcium and are a good source of Vitamins A, C, folic acid and iron. Be aware that kale does present risks for people taking certain types of prescription drugs. Blood-thinners such as warfarin work by lowering vitamin K levels, and since kale is extremely high in Vitamin K, people on anti-coagulant medication should avoid it. (Yeager, 2007).

Kale is great as a salad, as a side or even as a chip. For those who are not huge fans of kale, you can dress it up by adding bacon bits, nuts, garlic…whatever tickles your fancy.

Sauteed Kale

1 1/2 pounds fresh kale
1 c fresh spinach, optional
2 tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of Kosher salt, ground pepper, paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ small yellow onion
¼ c chicken stock

Clean kale and rough chop it. Add olive oil to a sautee pan and heat on medium. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add kale; sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and red pepper flakes. Add chicken stock and cook just until wilted. Overcooking kale may result in a bitter taste as well as cause it to lose some of the essential nutrients.

If you are one to walk a little on the wild side, you can try a kale salad.

Kale Salad

1 1/2 pounds kale
2 tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of Kosher salt, ground pepper
½ small red onion
1 small apple, cut into small chunks
¼ c roasted almonds
¼ c golden raisins
1 tbsp lemon juice

Place ingredients in a large bowl. Massage ingredients well for about 3-5 minutes, until thoroughly mixed. Serve.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.