Toasty Roasty Kale

Healthy snacks are important to have and when they are easy to make it is even better.  Toasty Roasty Kale fits in perfectly.  The easy part comes later.  Let's talk about the healthy aspects of kale.  I know, I know.  You are thinking - "Isn't that what they put in salad bars to make them look pretty?"  And the answer is YES!!!

Kale contains substantial amounts of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of nutrition essentials.  In one cup alone you have:

• About 20% of fiber (diet and digestion)
• Over 1300% of vitamin K (anti-inflammatory)
• 10%of omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory)
• 192% vitamin A (antioxidant)
• 88% vitamin C (antioxidant, immunity)
• Plus so much more.  

Kale is consumed all over the world.  There are different varieties.  

• Curly leaved (Scots Kale)
• Plain leaved
• Rape Kale
• Leaf and spear (a cross between curly leaved and plain leaved Kale)
• Cavolo nero (also known as black cabbage, Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan Kale, Lacinato and dinosaur Kale)*

Now, that you know the benefits of kale.  What the heck do you do with it?  KALE CHIPS! Unfortunately, Many of the kale chips you will find in the stores are very high in fat.  They use a lot of oil in the baking and/or frying.  There is absolutely no need for the fat.  In our Toasty Roasty Kale, there are just trace amounts of fat from the spray.  It keeps it very healthy and lower in fat than the store made ones.

Toasty Roasty Kale  

1 bunch of Kale, washed, ribs cut out, and in 1" pieces

Juice of half a lemon

Olive Oil sprayer

Salt 

Pepper 

Seasonings of choice

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the kale on a sheet pan.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper plus any other spices you may chose to use.  Toss right on the pan. Level out.  Put in oven for 8-10 minutes.  Check and cook to desired crispiness.  

Prep time: 5 minutes

Bake time: 10 minutes

Level of difficulty - easy

Toasty Roasty Kale Printable Recipe 

With the Toasty Roasty Kale you can add any variety of spices to it ~ salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder or salt, onion powder or salt, chili powder, cayenne, whatever floats your boat.  Remember, part of the fun of cooking is experimenting!!  And you can start enjoying them from start to finish in about 15 minutes. 

Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/9-health-benefits-of-kale.html
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kale
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2

Fakin' Aspragus Recipe

Mock comfort food + something healthy = Fakin' Asparagus!!!

It is the fantastic combination of smoky, salty, crunchy with crisp, clean, caramelized heaven.  Fakin' Asparagus is a great appetizer especially in the spring and early summer when asparagus is in season.  I wanted to get the recipe out before they were out of season.  Remember to check out That's Vegetarian Eating What's in Season for valuable resources on seasonal foods by locale.  

I use Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips because they are the closest to the bacon essence. They are very similar to the salad topping Bacos, which are vegetarian as well.  They are also lower in fat, cholesterol and calories.

Baked Pork Bacon

Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips

Bacon - Almost 2xs the calories & fat;  50% more sodium; less fiber, iron & calcium. However, bacon does have 3x's as much protein.  
The serving size of bacon is half of the fakin on the right. Double amounts on left when comparing.



Let me now redeem my recipe with the facts about asparagus.  It is low in sodium to balance out the sodium of the fakin'.  It contains many minerals and vitamins including potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamins A, C, E, K, and an entire slew of the B family.  

Fakin' Asparagus is a fun appetizer that has a comfy feel to it.  Try it now while the asparagus is still in season.

Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

FAKIN' ASPARAGUS RECIPE

1 Box Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips

36-72 Asparagus spears

1/4 c Fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved (opt)

Defrost the Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips for at least 1 hour to increase ease of handling.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Break the ends of the asparagus stalks by holding at the blunt end and a 1/4 of the way down from the tip. This will allow the asparagus to break at the best point to eliminate any excessive fibrous ends. Spray baking dish with olive oil, place rinsed trimmed asparagus in pan, sprinkle with pepper and toss in pan. Bake at 400F for 5 minutes, 4 if the stalks are thin.

Remove the asparagus and let cool for about 5 minutes, until they are at a comfortable temperature for handling.

Fakin' Asparagus Video

Grab 2-4 stalks of asparagus all facing the same direction and one MF bacon strip. Wrap the asparagus with the fakin from the tip down on an angle slightly overlapping. Place in the same baking dish with the edge of the fakin closest to the bottom of the spear face down on the pan to prevent it from unraveling.

Bake at 400F for about 4 minutes, until the strips have browned. Watch closely as they brown quickly since they are defrosted. Remove from oven once lightly browned.

Cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 5 minutes for asparagus, 4-5 minutes for wrapped asparagus

Serving size: 3 pieces

Serves 6

Level of difficulty - easy.

3pp with or without the cheese because there is so little.

Fakin' Asparagus Printable Recipe

http://www.morningstarfarms.com/morningstar-farms-veggie-bacon-strips.renderImageText.html?BID=29192&MD5=714d8244ef514ee6b9b94c873e6a1ade&FT=MorningStarFarmsVeggieBaconStrips_352&productORrecipe=product&freeTextPresent=no

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/10602/2

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/pork-products/7354/2

Cheese Stuffed Fakin' Wrapped Dates

First and foremost, thank you for your support.  It's time to be thankful and show our appreciation.  What better way than to one, say it, and two, make some yummy food.  Here is a creative appetizer for the holiday season. I had this at a restaurant, came home and figured out how to make my version of Fakin' Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates. It was a simple appetizer to create an ohhhhh sooooo tasty!!!!!!!!!!!!

The easy part is which fakin’ to use. Morningstar Breakfast Strips are my favorite meat substitute. I do try to limit the amount of processed food but I just can’t forgo this one. The strips do contain dairy byproducts and most “veggie” cheeses also contain dairy byproducts. That makes it difficult to make this a vegan dish. You can check out other “fakin’” products but can’t say I like the way they taste.

Then it gets increasingly challenging. Which cheese? I did a taste test with sharp and medium cheddar, Brie, Gorgonzola, pepper jack, and Parmesan. The sharper the better for my taste, but use whichever you prefer. (See note above about “veggie” cheeses.)

Lastly, the dates. An old Arabic legend tells of the Date palm's creation: "After God had finished molding Man from Earth; He took the remaining material and shaped it into a date palm which he placed in the Garden of Paradise". * Dates are full of vitamins and minerals including manganese, potassium and copper. They are a heart healthy food. It is the only naturally dried fruit. There are hundreds if not thousands of types of dates. The most common are Medjool, deglet noor, and honey dates. I have had them all, ahem those three, and they are yummy!!!

Putting all of these ingredients together creates a savory, sweet, salty, creamy, smokey taste of heaven. Visit That's Vegetarian's website, blog , and YouTube channel for more information, videos, and recipes!!  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"  

Fakin’ Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates

10 Dates

10 Strips of Morningstar Breakfast Strips (aka Fakin’)

A few ounces of Cheese of choice (I prefer Gorgonzola or Parmesan)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut dates in half lengthwise.  Remove pit if there is one. Stuff with sliver of cheese.  Wrap with 1/2 Morningstar Breakfast Strip.  Stick with toothpick to keep strips in place.  Place on parchment paper or silicon-coated pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Enjoy hot or room temperature.

Prep time: 15 min 
Cook time:  15 min
Serves 5, 2 each
Difficulty level: Easy
(5pp)
Fakin' Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates Printable Recipe