Yes. You heard me right.

I covered, coated and drizzled my kale chips with dark chocolate.

And it was amazing.

Pure bliss in a lil’ kale chip.  Who woulda’ known?

Just in time for Love Day.

And although there is no ‘Lover’, hehe..

My Chocolate Kale Chips are enough for me.

And I’m a happy camper.

Now, close your eyes and imagine these with a drizzle of …

This…

I’m leaving the rest up to you.

Go ahead, give ‘em a shot, these chips are unreal…sweet n’ savory…just how I like ‘em.

And perfect for your Love Day dessert.

Dark Chocolate Covered Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1 large bushel of kale
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/3 tsp. chili powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Roughly chop kale into 1 inch chip-like size pieces.  Spread kale evenly onto baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Place into the oven; bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.
5. Remove from oven.  Drizzle with melted dark chocolate.  Sprinkle with sea salt and chili powder.
6. Serve.

And just in time for Love Day, here are a few Manhattan Love ideas for you to enjoy on Monday night in the Big Apple…

The Culinary Loft’s Valentine’s Cooking Class: You and your love can create a full menu from 6:30-9PM full of delicious treats such as cinnamon spiced chocolate cake. www.TheCulinaryLoft.com

Counter’s Vegetarian and Vegan friendly dinner with unique healthy dishes and wine pairings created just for this Love Day. www.CounterNyc.com

Kellari Tavern’s Pop The Question Deal.  The first 5 couples to propose marriage during their meal at either Kellari Tavern location on Valentine’s Day and show the ring will receive a lifetime free dinner every year on Valentine’s Day or wedding anniversary (your choice) at Kellari Tavern.  How funny is that? New couples will also receive a free bottle of champagne. www.kellari.us

And, here are a few Loveable notes that I thought I’d share with you to get you all in the happy, love mood whether you have someone special to share this day with or you are alone, just remember you make your own happiness in life and the most important thing is that you are happy with yourself.

Take some time on Valentine’s Day to think about you and reflect on how you love yourself and others.

Love Yourself, Love Your City: 5 Ways to B eat the Winter Blues

50 Ways to Feed Your Lover

Have a fabulous, Loveable weekend everyone.

xo

I recently had a yearning for some falafel after seeing them on the streets of Manhattan at every street fair imaginable… I thought I’d recipe test by creating a vegan falafel ball with a kale pesto dipping sauce.  I opted to add the Kale Cashew Pesto as a dipping sauce for an extra kick, you can also add in more cashews for a creamier texture.

Vegan Falafel Balls

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz. can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp. lime zest
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 ½ Tbsp. cumin seeds, toasted
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. rice flour
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat to toast cumin seeds.  Toast until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes.
3. In a food processor combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, sea salt, white pepper and chili powder; pulse process until coarsely chopped. Add water, ground flax seeds and rice flour.  Using your hands, mold into golf-sized balls.
4. Place falafel balls on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and serve warm with Kale Cashew Pesto (below).

Kale Cashew Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups kale, steamed and roughly chopped
• ¼ cup scallions, chopped
• ½ cup cashews, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup rice milk
• 2 cloves garlic, roasted
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Place kale and scallions in food processor and pulse until chopped.
2. Add cashews, nutritional yeast, rice milk and garlic, pulse again to combine.
3. Slowly add sea salt, lemon juice, oil and chili powder.
4. Continue pulsing until smooth.

Have you ever made falafel? If so, I’d love to hear your recipe…it’s such a fun, creative way to jazz up a classic recipe such as falafel and add in your own ‘kick’ of flavor.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

In The News This Week:

Casava May Improve Gluten Free Bread

Fresh & Easy Goodness Products for Kids Launched

Tofu Goes Interactive in Education

There’s nothing like a bowl of chicken noodle soup on a chilly February evening.  Last night I created a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free chicken n’ buckwheat noodle soup that warmed me up from the Manhattan chill. I tossed in some navy beans and my favorite dinosaur kale along with mushrooms and ginger for an exceptionally delectable soup.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 4 ounces buckwheat noodles
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried cilantro
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. turmeric
• 1/8 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 cup navy beans
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups dinosaur kale, chopped
• Dash of sea salt and pepper
• 1 tsp. oil
• Toppings: Organic corn tortilla chips, crushed; fresh basil, chopped; chili powder

Directions

• Cook chicken over medium heat until fully cooked and no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Prepare and cook buckwheat noodles according to package.  Drain and set aside.
• In a large pot, combine water, dried herbs, spices and ginger.  Heat until water boils; add navy beans; cover and reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, kale and sea salt; cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add buckwheat noodles, chicken and oil; mix well.
• Transfer to serving bowls. Top with organic corn chips, fresh basil and a sprinkle of chili powder.
• Enjoy!

Many of my clients considered ‘leafy green veggies’ unappetizing before they came to me for counseling.  The first thing that came to their minds when I mentioned ‘leafy green veggies’ was “Well, I eat Iceberg Lettuce”! O boy, I thought…we’ve got some work to do and this is going to be fun.  This is what I love about being a Nutritionist.  I truly love making a difference in the way my clients eat and make them realize that this pale lettuce, once so ubiquitous in restaurant salads, does not have the power-packed goodness of other delicious greens.

Before my clients came to me for counseling, they either forgot about these nutrient-rich, flavorful foods or got scared off by the idea of preparing them.

Learning to cook and eat greens is essential for creating lasting health.  It is a simple, easy way to boost your daily diet.  The next time you are at the farmers market or in your local food store, be sure to add some of the following greens to your shopping list: Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli Rabe, Cabbage, Collards, Chicory, Dandelion, Escarole, Kale, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Watercress and many other varieties of lettuce.

Leafy green veggies help strengthen our respiratory and circulatory systems.  They are high in magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K.

Leafy green veggies are packed with folic acid, chlorophyll, fiber and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals.  Moreover, they help with blood purification, cancer prevention, improving circulation, strengthening your immune system and improving gall bladder, kidney and live function.  They are also a great ally in the Fall when cold season begins because greens can help clear congestion and reduce mucus.

Surprisingly, greens are not as complicated as they may appear  Try a variety of cooking methods such as boiling, sauteing in olive oil, steaming, blanching, roasting or chopping up for salads and snacks.  Chopping raw veggies for salads and snacks takes only a few minutes to rinse and prepare.  Cooking greens takes a couple of minutes of prep time and about two minutes of cooking time.  You can experiment with cooking your greens with seeds, nuts, beans, butter, tofu, seital, tempeh, chicken, turkey, fish, ground meat, eggs, etc.  Green veggies are easy to add to homemade or prepared soups or stews right before serving.

Try to get into the habit of adding these green veggies to your diet as often as possible.  While veggies are the scarcest food in the American diet, leafy green veggies area is lacking most of all.

Give some of these green leafy veggies a try and see how you feel!  Let me know what you think about the different flavors and textures of these delicious greens…I’m interested to hear!

Uproot from the Green Basics

While everyday veggies such as broccoli and spinach are great for your health, be adventurous and try these other dark greens that pack a flavorful and nutrient-dense punch.

• Kale- This leafy green is easy to grow and thrives in cold temps.  The beautiful leaves provide an earthy flavor and excellent nutritional value.  I love making ‘kale wraps’ where I wrap kale leaves around my fish and chicken for a fun finger food!
• Collard Greens- A staple of traditional Southern cooking, this nutritional powerhouse provides vitamins A, C, calcium, iron and magnesium.  Collard greens are delicious to bake with and I love adding collards to my baked fish recipes.
• Bok Choy- This veggie has a light, sweet flavor and a crisp texture.  Toss some bok choy into stir-fries, Asian dishes or soups.
• Escarole- This curly Italian green has a bitter taste.  As you remove the leaves, you will experience different degrees of flavor! As the leaves are peeled back, they continue to lighten in shade and bitterness.

Last evening, I created a delicious dinner for myself…I spent my afternoon in the long lines of Whole Foods Market at Columbus Circle…after waiting online and fighting the New Year’s Eve crowds (at 3 PM), I was a happy camper with my fresh piece of sole, parsley, cilantro, onions, tomatoes and kale.

I created a tasty dish, quite simple, in fact…I simply cooked the fillet on the stove top, covered, with a touch of low sodium vegetable broth, sea salt and freshly ground white pepper.  Once the fillet was cooked, I served it over steamed kale and my new concoction ‘Spicy Cilantro Salsa’.

Spicy Cilantro Salsa

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Greek plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. spicy, stone ground mustard
• 1 small tomato, finely diced
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. dulse flakes

Directions

• Simply combine all of the above ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix well.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature atop fillet of sole, steamed kale and blanched sweet onions.
• I served my sole with an additional dollop of Greek plain yogurt and salsa (gotta love the extra’s, hehe) as you can see in my picture below.
• Enjoy!

Happy New Year Bloggies!