I swear it's delicious - kale shakes

If you're like me, eating kale isn't much fun which is really too bad since it is so nutritious. My dentitst also warned me that people with a very fibrous diet (high in fruits and veggies) experience significant wear and tear to their teeth which can require significant restoration and potentially, crowns. This delicious shake, which gives you tons of fiber and other super foods like cabbage and pumpkin seeds, is a much more tooth- and palate-friendly way to get your veggies. As an added bonus, all of that fiber will make you feel really full for a few hours.

1 1/2 c hemp milk, original
1 ripe banana
1 c blueberries (I use frozen)
5 kale stalks, tough ribs cut away
1 c chopped cabbage
2 tsp spirulina poweder (available at whole foods - spirulina is a blue-green algae)
2 TBSP powdered chia seed (great source of fiber adn omega 3's)
1 small handful of pumpkin seeds

Place all of the above in a blender and puree together. Now pour into a glass and prepare for the shock of this thing actually tasting good.

Green Curry with chicken and yams

Beware the garlic! Very tasty, but I took this one into the office and found myself trying not to speak directly to people in my meetings for fear that I would sear their eyebrows off...

Yields 4 small servings.

4 medium-sized yams, cut into 1" cubes
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 14 oz can coconut milk
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
2 tsp turmeric
1 TBSP green curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)

Long method:

Combine the coconut milk, garlic, turmeric and curry paste in a pyrex. Combine well. Add chicken and yam pieces. Let stand overnight in the fridge. Preheat oven to 325 and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Quicker method:

Combine the coconut milk, garlic, turmeric and curry paste in a medium-sized sauce pan (8c capacity. Heat on medium and whisk everything together thoroughly. Add yams and chicken to sauce adn cook on low heat for an hour, or until chicken tender adn cooked all the way through.

Rudi's Gluten-free Bread, coupon code, and ideas!

I received a loaf of Rudi's multigrain gluten-free bread from the nice folks in their marketing department. I have actually been eating this bread since it became available in the King Sooper's close to my home, about a month ago, but needless to say I was psyched to receive a loaf in the mail.

Side note: Rudi's is running a campaign right now to spread the word on Celiac disease. They are making a $1 off coupon available and donating a dollar to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) for every coupon downloaded. The goal of NFCA is to better educate physicians in diagnosing celiac's disease, so this is a great cause!

Here's a link to the coupon code:

http://www.rudisglutenfree.com/spread-the-bread-coupon/

And now... back to the review! :)

When I pulled a slice out and smelled it, it reminded me of that really soft potato bread that my mother used to buy when I was younger, before it was off limits. Needless to say, the smell made me hopeful and I took a bite. The bread is not your typical 'cinder-block' loaf that we celiacs have been forced to call bread for so many years. It had a really nice, hearty mouth feel while still being soft and the taste was really good, too. Whiel it is great on its own, I have found the Rudi's multigrain bread to be a great vehicle for whatever I have put on it:

As Bruschetta - top with the following and zap in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes:

1. Olive oil, grated garlic, herbs d'provence

2. Blue Moose Sundried tomato pesto, fresh mozzarella slices and olive oil - bake until mozzarella is just beginning to brown on edges and bubble.

3. Mash a handful of figs with about a TBSP of butter and top with a slice of prosciutto

Other Ideas

4. lightly toasted (so it's just warm and really soft) with nutella - reminds me of chocolate donuts so this is a particular favorite of mine as far as treats go.

5. toasted with almond butter


MMMMMMMM!

Enjoy!