Inspired Edibles

~ real food, balanced living ~

Chirashi Sushi (Scattered Sushi Bowl)

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I snuck away on a brief tryst to Montreal last week.  

No, not that kind!  A play date with my sister.  Just a 24 hour thing, but a great break from the ordinary and well worth the trip.  Being in Montreal, quite naturally, there was food involved.

We went out for dim sum at one of these massive cafeteria style Cantonese joints that happened to serve up some of the freshest seafood and vegetable dishes I’ve had in a long time (there were plenty of other goodies on hand but we kept away from the thigh enhancing deep fried gems).  It was lip-smacking good and no matter how much food you order, the bill never seems to exceed $12 per person (not sure how that works).
But I do love that style of eating – lots of fresh vegetables and assorted proteins with a mix of yummy dips and sauces to choose from.  It reminds me of one of my favourite Japanese preparations, chirashi sushi. 
Chirashi simply means ‘scattered’ – a scattered bowl of assorted fresh ingredients that typically comprise sushi.  Chirashi’s most common preparation includes a bowl of rice with fresh fish or seafood and an assortment of vegetables.  The garnishes can be quite elaborate, colourful and decorative. But there are no fixed rules when it comes to sushi bowls.  You can toss in whatever ingredients you like (substituting tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian version) and the great news is, you don’t have to wrap or roll anything!  You get all the taste and health benefits without the fuss. 
This is such a simple meal to throw together and, depending on how you mix it up, you can enjoy it as a light lunch or heartier dinner.
As for topping, I most often enjoy my sushi bowls with a fresh squeeze of lemon or a splash of soy sauce but you can play around with different dips, dressing and sauces as you like.  The classic pickled ginger and wasabi are nice flavour mix-ins here as well.
 Chirashi Sushi ~ Scattered Sushi Bowl
  • 1 cup or so, coleslaw
  • 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1/2 cup shelled edamame (I simply run frozen edamame under hot water)
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrot
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced
  • 6-8 large shrimp, sautéed
  • For Garnish: sesame seeds; chopped toasted nori or dulse (seaweed); chopped green onion
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Serves 2
Place coleslaw in a medium size salad bowl.  The coleslaw should come at least halfway up the height of the bowl.
Simply add in the rice, carrot, edamame and avocado section by section over the coleslaw.
Meanwhile, sautée shrimp in a skillet with some olive oil over medium heat and, once cooked, place shrimp in centre of bowl.  Sprinkle sushi with lemon, lime, soy sauce, or other flavourings as desired.

Garnish sushi bowl with sesame seeds, green onion and chopped nori or dulse. 

Enjoy!

Brown Rice & Cannellini Bean Sliders with Fresh Parsley, Peach and Honey

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For those of you who may have missed our big news, (it was covered by most of the major Canadian broadcasters but sometimes these things get overlooked), we bought a rice cooker.

Yes, it’s true.

And we have been making rice daily. That’s: every. single. day. Nothing new to our Asian friends we understand but entirely new, in frequency, to us.

And I don’t remember the last time we had this much fun for $9!!

After enjoying variations on stir-fries and burritos, we’ve expanded into blender territory this week to play around with some delightful vegetarian sliders (which can also easily be made vegan).  I’ve come to realize that my blender is a little bit like how some people view their crockpots – a life saver and food transformer.

The combination of rice and beans makes these easily assembled sliders a complete vegetable protein and ideal meal choice for vegetarians and those of us looking to vary our dietary intake.

If you prepare the rice and beans ahead of time (super simple and both store well in the fridge), you can have this meal on the table in 15 minutes.

Brown Rice & Cannellini Bean Sliders with Fresh Parsley, Peach & Honey

  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (any beans will do), well rinsed if using canned
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 eggs (substitute 1/3 cup olive oil for vegan version)
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (simply omit for vegan version)
  • 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder or to taste (substitute regular chili powder or other seasoning as desired)
  • Sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 ripe peach or nectarine, skin-on and sliced into wedges
  • Honey or pure maple syrup for topping
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Notes:
I usually makea double batch of beans on the weekend and store them in the fridge for the week.  Canned beans are always an option but I like the meatier texture of homemade beans when they are cooked al dente.

BPA:
More concerning from my perspective is that Bisphenol A (BPA) – a known toxin – continues to be used in the lining of many food and beverage cans – including canned beans.  Studies have shown that this industrial plastic is absorbed by canned foods and, when ingested by consumers, can give rise to significant spikes in urinary levels of BPA.

Canada was the first country in the world to declare BPA a toxic substance after reviewing a substantial body of evidence that linked BPA, and its estrogen mimicking effects, to a variety of troubling diseases and disorders including prostate disease, breast cancer, fertility problems and neurological issues, including fetal and infant brain development.

Health Canada has banned the industrial chemical from plastic baby bottles (as has the European union), but has not extended this ban to include food and beverage cans, which critics continue to argue is necessary to ensure public safety. Until more studies are conducted, I continue to take a cautionary approach by reducing our exposure to BPAs as much as possible.

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Sauté onion with some olive oil in a skillet on stove over low-medium heat until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Set aside.

Add onion, beans, brown rice, eggs (or olive oil), parsley, cheese (if desired) and seasonings to blender and blend until ingredients are combined and desired texture is achieved (I still kept the odd chunky bean piece in mine).

Using your hands, assemble mixture into patties in desired sizing.  I made sliders (slightly smaller than traditional ‘burger’ size) but you could also make minis and serve them as an appetizer.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, adding olive oil.  Place sliders in heated skillet and sauté for about two minutes on each side or until desired doneness is achieved.

Add a dollop of yogurt to each slider and top with a peach wedge and a drizzle of honey.

Vanilla Infused Banana Cream Pie with a Whole Grain Graham Crust

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There are some definite advantages to staying home during a holiday long weekend.

No traffic, no lineups, no packing or unpacking, no doggie separation and, most of all, no time pressure.  Leisurely walks in the sunshine, a highly anticipated viewing of the Hunger Games, hanging out in bare feet and PJs on the deck and… this banana cream pie.

The creamy texture of this pie is actually derived from whipped milk and egg that is firmed into a pudding-like consistency with the help of a gelatin slurry.  It has a delicate sweetness and delicious biscuit crunch that comes from the graham crust.

I had plenty of helpers on hand this weekend to pull this delicious dessert together and I want to thank all of the boys in this family for their excellent hand modeling (!).

Vanilla Infused Banana Cream Pie with a Graham Crust

 

(recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger’s Banana Cream Pie)
  • 1 1/2 cups natural graham crumbs (preferably derived from 100 % whole wheat)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
  • 3 Tbsp boiling water
  • 1/3 cup golden demerara sugar
  • 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or alternate milk beverage)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla essence 
  • 2 cups sliced banana (about 3 medium bananas)
  • Whipping cream for topping, optional
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Heat oven to 350 F.

 

To make the Graham Crust:

 

Place graham crumbs and 1/4 cup melted butter together in a bowl.  Using a fork, mix graham crumbs and butter together until little balls of grain-like texture is achieved.

 

Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with olive or canola oil.  Place graham crumb mixture into the center of pie plate and, using your fingers, pat down on mixture pressing it into the plate and up along the sides about 1/2 inch.
Meanwhile, place gelatin in a small bowl.  Add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and whisk until gelatin is dissolved.

In a medium size saucepan, whisk together demerara sugar and whole wheat flour. 

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and milk together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk such that the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla essence and gelatin slurry. Remove saucepan from heat.
Arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the somewhat cooled pudding over top, coating the entire pie.

 

Place banana cream pie in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours. 

Slice pie into pieces and top with a dollop of whipped cream, as desired.

 

 
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a couple of other sides we enjoyed making this weekend…

Roasted Sweet Potato Garlic Chips
(on their way into the oven…) 

Radiant Roasted Beets sliced thin with mandoline
(our youngest son adores fresh beets – who are we to deny him?)
And, for the pièces de résistance on our

Sunday night table…

Gorgeous Yorkshire Pudding thanks to Charles over at Five Euro Food

my British blogging buddy who taught me how to make a proper popover!

Also keeping us company this weekend were these beautiful

floral water gel beads that my brother gave us for Christmas

We had a great holiday weekend and we hope you did too!

Flourless Salmon Dill Brunch Bites

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If you’re anything like me, the Easter long weekend has snuck up on you from out of nowhere and you’re completely disorganized and utterly unprepared (oops, didn’t mean to be quite that confessional…).

But things have been a little busy.  Contrary to popular belief, Spring – and not January – is the busiest time of year in the nutrition world so I’ve been spending lots of time with some great clients and we’ve also been preparing for year-end piano exams, a big school play, winding down the hockey season and ramping up for soccer season.  Excitement abounds.

…

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Lemon-Lime Pudding Cake with Warm Raspberries

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When my sons were a bit younger, they would often ask me about my favourite dessert.  (Just one of those kid questions).  The query would go something like this: “Mommy, if you were stranded on a desert island and could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life… what would it be?”
I would hem and haw and stammer in my response, flustered by the sheer vastness of possibilities and hesitant to lock myself in to any one dessert.  Nevertheless, beyond my predictable dark chocolate reflex, this luscious pudding cake would always come up in the discussions as one of my very favourites.
Now, if you don’t like citrus, flip to a different page.
Good, you’re still with me. Phew.
This is a light and creamy dessert with a gorgeous tart citrus flavour.  The creaminess is derived from the whipped egg whites and milk (not cream) and, true to its name, it offers up a lip-smacking combination of moist pudding and textured cake (especially if you follow the recipe).

 

Lemon-Lime Pudding Cake with Warm Raspberries
  • Zest of 1 lemon and 2 limes
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 2 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup golden demerara sugar
  • 1/3 cup lemon or lime juice or a combination of both
  • 1/4 cup whole grain flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups raspberries (I used frozen)
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Notes:
You can use lemon or lime zest/juice for this pudding cake or a combination of both (which is what I’ve done here).
If you’re like me and tend to be a little slapdash in the measurement department, this is one recipe where you might want to tighten it up a bit.  Too much flour and you’ll end up with a firm cake, too much juice and you’ll end up with a lake.  I have made this recipe many, many times and the measurements are pretty bang on to achieve the perfect harmony (!) between pudding and cake.
You can bake this pudding cake in 6 ramekins (1 cup each/125mL) or a singular baking dish (6 cups/1.5L).
—————-
Warm oven to 350 F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together citrus zest, egg yolks, butter and sugar.  Add citrus juice, followed by flour and milk.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.
Pour pudding cake batter into individual ramekins or singular baking dish.  I like to add another sprinkle of zest at this stage.
Place ramekins or baking dish into a larger pan and add boiling water such that it comes up about 1 inch (2.5 cm) along the sides of the pan.  The water prevents the pudding cake from drying out while baking and also minimizes cracking (I omitted this step and immediately regretted it).
Place pudding cake with pan in oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
In the meantime, place frozen raspberries in a small pot over low-medium heat on the stove.  Add 1 Tbsp of water and 1 Tbsp of maple syrup, allowing berries to thaw and warm.
Remove pudding cake from oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Scoop into individual serving dishes and spoon warm berries over top.
You can also refrigerate and serve this dessert cold (including the berries).  Both are delicious!

Seared Pepper Shrimp with a Spicy Mango-Lime Dipping Sauce

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I recently bought a set of spice jars that came with a package of desiccated ginger chips.  I’ve never come across dried ginger chips before… what a revelation!  They’re so pretty – in a natural, woodsy kind of way – and enormously fragrant – like a ginger potpourri.  I’ve got some sitting in a bowl on my desk.  Anyway, I was so enchanted, I had to work a few pieces into the picture just for fun.  So if you’re wondering what the stray driftwood is on the plate, there you have it.

I’ve never needed an excuse to eat pan seared shrimp but if there was one it would be this dipping sauce. Made with fresh mango, ginger, cilantro and lime (a few of my favourite things), I can’t seem to stop eating it with virtually everything (except for maybe my morning coffee but even there, I feel myself weakening).

You can serve up this refreshing spring dip to guests on an appetizer plate surrounded by toothpick skewered shrimp or prepare the shrimp as a starter on a salad plate, as desired.  Either way, I’m quite sure you’ll enjoy.

Seared Pepper Shrimp with a Spicy Mango-Lime Dipping Sauce

  • 1 large bag of frozen unpeeled, uncooked shrimp (about 40 pieces)
  • 1 tsp coarse black pepper
  • 1 ripe mango, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup orange juice, dilute
  • 1 large nub of fresh ginger, grated to about 2 Tbsp
  • Zest of one lime
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 or 2 tsp hot sauce, such as sriracha (Thai hot sauce)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

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Thaw whatever portion of shrimp you plan on using, leaving the remaining shrimps in the freezer.  The way I thaw shrimp is to place it in a bowl submerged in cold water in the sink.  This accelerates the process and generally leads to good results.  Peel and set aside thawed shrimp. 

Meanwhile gather all ingredients for mango-lime dipping sauce: mango, orange juice, ginger, lime juice, lime zest, chili sauce and cilantro and place in a blender. 

 
Blend ingredients until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer mango-lime dipping sauce into a container and place in fridge while preparing shrimp.

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat on stove with some grape seed or coconut oil (a stable heat resistant oil).  Once the skillet is good and hot, toss in shrimp.  Sprinkle shrimp with black pepper and sea salt and then flip and do the same on the other side until shrimp is cooked through (it will not take long).

Transfer mango-lime dipping sauce into a decorative bowl and surround with warm shrimp.

Eggs in a Basket ~ Succulent Baked Eggs in Sweet Potato

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This beautiful weather has got me all invigorated with fresh menu ideas for spring.

As the daylight hours increase and temperatures rise, many of us find that we have more energy and a renewed sense of commitment and desire to get back on track with our diets following the long winter months.

Eating seasonally provides our bodies with the right type of fuel to protect us from the environment and help keep us in balance.  It is also the most economical way to support our diet and potentially provides us with the cleanest foods as fewer chemicals are required to sustain growth.  …

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Pan Seared Prosciutto with Molten Bocconcini and Asparagus in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Another defining sign that spring has arrived: asparagus is on sale!

Yay spring.  So, moving forward with more yummy spring recipes, I wanted to share this little delight.

This is a simple and enormously tasty dish that you can fashion into a salad, stand alone starter or meal.  I have served it on many occasions to guests and have arrived at the happy conclusion that it’s one of those foolproof winners (love those).

If you are not familiar with bocconcini, it is a semi-soft unripened cheese, similar to halloumi, that is versatile and easy to work with.  You can only see little bits of it poking out of the prosciutto in the picture (along with those tantalizing crispy-chewy cheese sheets from the frying pan – my kids fight over those) – the bulk of the cheese is tucked under the prosciutto.

Pan Seared Prosciutto with Molten Bocconcini and Asparagus in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the Prosciutto Bundles

  • 250 grams (1 package) prosciutto, sliced thin
  • 200 grams (1 container) bocconcini
  • 16 asparagus spears, steamed or roasted
  • Mixed lettuce and assorted vegetables, as you wish

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp lemon rind
  • 1 tsp honey
  • Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

————–

Note: Bocconcini is shaped roughly like an egg and comes in different sizes ranging from tiny pearls to golf-ball sized mounds.  For this recipe, I used a medium sized ball about 40 mm in diameter or the size of a ping-pong ball, but you could go with whatever size suits you.

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Wash asparagus and cut off woodsy ends (usually the bottom inch or two).

You can either roast the asparagus at 375 F with a little bit of olive oil for about eight minutes or steam it for two minutes.  (In a recipe like this where there are already so many flavours competing for attention, I would say the roasting is less essential).

While your asparagus is cooking, cut four bocconcini balls in half for a total of eight units.

Spread one or two pieces of prosciutto out on a cutting board and top with two asparagus spears and a half bocconcini ball.

Simply wrap the prosciutto around the asparagus and cheese until you have eight compact prosciutto bundles.

Warm a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat.  Place prosciutto bundles in skillet allowing them to brown before flipping them over to the other side.   It will only take a minute or two on each side to sear the meat.  Now turn heat down to lowest setting and cover your skillet to allow the cheese to fully melt.

Meanwhile, assemble vinaigrette ingredients in a small container with fitted lid.   Close lid and shake vigorously to combine.

Prepare four plates with lettuce and mixed vegetables as desired.

Place two warm prosciutto bundles on each plate and drizzle with freshly mixed balsamic vinaigrette.

Enjoy…

Strawberry Coconut Spelt Muffins

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I’m not quite certain what it is about springtime that reminds me of coconut, but a few days of warm weather, sunshine and melting snow and I find myself gravitating towards the gentle sweetness of this beautiful, white fleshy fruit.

Happily, I’ve had an opportunity to contemplate the changing seasons and radiant sunshine this past week during our spring skiing adventure through the Eastern Townships and Vermont. Now I like a tropical vacation as much as the next gal, but there’s just something about skiing under the brilliant March sun – hatless, gloveless, coatless, heart pumping and legs burning – that’s… well, unbeatable.

Something else I love about spring are the running streams that return to life after the long, deep winter. The melting snow adds volume and momentum to their flow and it creates the most peaceful, comforting sound.  Here’s a short video of the stream that ran just outside our chalet; it was a pretty wonderful way to begin and end each day.  Be sure to play the clip repeatedly for your sleepless children.

Strawberry Coconut Spelt Muffins
  • 1 + 1/4 cup whole grain spelt flour
  • 1 cup whole grain oatmeal
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup Demerara sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries + 12 slices for topping
  • 1/4 cup dilute orange juice
  • 1/4 cup natural, unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut shavings + 2 Tbsp
——————-
Heat oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, combine spelt flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and 2 Tbsp of coconut shavings together in a bowl, mixing well to combine.

In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together egg, olive oil, vanilla, orange juice and coconut milk. Add chopped strawberries, gently mixing to combine.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing only until combined.

Divide batter among 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Top each muffin with a slice of strawberry in the center and a sprinkling of coconut shavings all around.

Cook muffins for approximately 15 minutes or until browned and just firm to the touch.

Remove tray to cooling rack and allow muffins to set for at least 10 minutes before enjoying.

Yay Spring!

The Brain-Beautiful Smoothie ~ multiple mind enhancing nutrients in one delicious drink

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I promise there is no salmon in this smoothie.

(Although I did consider dark chocolate).

We all know that eating a varied diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the best insurance policies against illness but interesting too is the ongoing research that points to how certain foods are specifically protective of brain health in terms of memory support and possibly even slowing down age-related cognitive decline.

On the list of anti-inflammatory foods in this connection, are notably: fatty fish; berries; nuts and seeds; and dark leafy greens.

Fatty Fish: fatty fish such as salmon, trout, sardines, arctic char, mackerel and herring are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation and keep the lining of brain cells flexible which in turn allows memory messages to pass easily between cells. These fats may also help prevent the build-up of the protein beta-amyloidthat can interfere with communication between brain cells.

Berries: berries are rich in polyphenols a type of antioxidant that helps protect brain cells by combating free radical damage, reducing inflammation and increasing the clearance of toxic proteins that accumulate with age. Enjoy the full range of berries, including: blueberry, blackberry, cranberry, strawberry, raspberry, acai berry, goji berry.

Nuts and Seeds: nuts and seeds offer a wide range of health protective benefits. With respect to brain health, walnut in particular, with its high polyphenol content and fatty acid profile, has been shown to reverse cognitive and motor deficits observed in rats.  A more recent and equally promising study demonstrated a significant impact on learning and memory in walnut fed rats compared to controls.  Most interestingly in the latter study, the walnut fed rodentss also exhibited a significant decrease in food intake during walnut ‘treatment’ as well as increases in serotonin levels.

Dark Leafy Greens: studies continue to show a slower rate of cognitive decline among individuals who consume higher levels of leafy greens compared to those who do not. Scientists speculate that the brain protective effect of greens is attributable, at least in part, to their Vitamin E content – an antioxidant that protects brain cells from oxidative damage and inflammation. Green stars include: kale, arugula, rapine, collard greens, spinach and Swiss chard.

The Brain-Beautiful Smoothie
  • 1 + 1/2 cup mixed berries (I used blueberry, blackberry and raspberry)
  • 1/2 banana
  • 2 cups kale leaves, hand torn into pieces
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp honey or agave nectar
————–
This recipe will make two large smoothies with refills.

Wash kale leaves thoroughly and tear into pieces with your hands.

I like to gently steam my kale prior to incorporating it into my smoothies (you can simply skip this step if you prefer). I find it makes the kale softer, more supple and easier to digest and it only takes a couple of minutes to do.

Simply place washed kale leaves in a large sauce pan set to medium-low heat on the stove and squeeze water or fresh lime juice over top.

Once the sauce pan begins to heat up, cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to the lowest setting, allowing leaves to steam for a minute or two. Make sure the leaves do not overheat or they will burn.

The kale leaves will become softer and brighter after steaming.

Place berries, yogurt, water, vanilla, honey or agave and steamed kale into a blender or food processor and blend until kale is broken down and well integrated into the mixture.

Add walnuts and pulse again making any desired adjustments to thickness of the mixture (I like my smoothies thick and creamy and will often use a spoon to ‘drink’ them – you can dilute with water, milk or ice as desired).

My son devoured a 10 ounce glass of this delicious smoothie after school on Friday ~  yay!

I hope you and your family like it too.

Cheers to your beautiful, radiant minds!