Easy and delicious!

Last night I made two easy and delicious recipes. The first was a simple kale sautee. If you have never tried kale…it is time to change it up! As far as greens go, kale is unusally high in fiber. This helps create bulk to fill you up and keep you full for longer periods of time. Kale is also an excellent source of nutrients, especially vitamin A and calcium. With a combination of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, kale is a dream food for all who are seeking good nutrition.

Simple Sauteed Kale

1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 tespoon divided, 1 1/2 lb kale (ribs removed and coarsely chopped), 1/2 cup water, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/4 tespoon crushed red pepper, 2-3 tablespoon of sherry or balsamic vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in dutch oven orver medium heat.  Add kale and cook 2-3 minutes until bright green tossing with spoon.  Add water and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook stirring occasionally until tender for 12-15 minutes.  Push kale to one side and add remaining olive oil and cook garlic and red pepper until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar and salt to taste. Yields 4 servings at 1/2 cup each. cal 41, fat 3.5, carb 2.4, fiber 1, protein 1 

Next I made the easiest soup in the world. Butternut squash soup. If you can boil water…you can make this soup! Full of yummy sweetness, butternut squash is low in fat and delivers a nice dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems. If you are feeling like you need to be a little more grounded, eat this rich root vegetable soup…sure to calm your nerves and bring a smile to your face!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

4 cup vegetable broth, 12oz butternut squash (peeled and cut into 2″ cubes), 1/2 large vidalia onion, 1 small apple (peeled and cut into 2″ cubes), 1/4 tespoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

In large stock pot combine broth, squash, onion and apple. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Uncover pot and reduce heat to low and gently simmer until squash is very tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Puree soup in pot using an immersion blender (or puree in a regular blender in batches). Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Enjoy! Happy eating!