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Savory {Bacon and Kale} Oatmeal

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Savory Oatmeal

Nothing is better than a warm bowl of oatmeal on a cold winter morning! Kick it up a notch with kale chips and bacon! Add a touch of maple syrup to oats for the perfect sweet and savory bowl of goodness.

2 cups of organic quick oats (divided into ½ cup per bowl)

2 cups hot water (1/2 cup per bowl)

2 tsp. organic maple syrup (1/2 tsp. per bowl)

8 strips of bacon (Look for nitrite free, natural bacon – I love Applegate Farms brand or Trader Joes)

4 kale leaves, stems removed and torn into bite size pieces

Pinch salt and pepper

Grapeseed spray oil

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line baking sheet with foil then place wire rack onto baking pan.

3. Lay strips of bacon onto rack with baking pan underneath.

4. Bake bacon for 17-20 minutes until crisp.

5. Remove bacon from baking pan and set aside.

6. Wash kale leaves and tear into bite size pieces, shake off excess water.

7. Place kale onto baking sheet on top of rack, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray with grapeseed oil.

8. Bake 7-8 minutes until crisp, careful not to burn kale.

9. To make oats: bring water to a boil in a kettle or in a pot on stovetop.

10. Pour ½ cup quick oats into each of 4 bowls. Stir ½ cup of hot water with each bowl of oats and ½ tsp maple syrup. Let sit 5 minutes then top with a handful of kale and 2 strips of chopped bacon.

11. Enjoy!

 

Yield: 4 servings

Quinoa Tabouli

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Quinoa is a great gluten-free substitute; it’s also a complete protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids. Tabouli is typically made with bulgur, i.e., cracked wheat; this is a twist on a traditional Mediterranean dish I grew up eating. Read more →

Spring into the season with greens!

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Spring is a great time to clean up your diet and add more greens. Greens are wonderful for boosting your immune system, promoting growth of healthy gut bacteria, and improving lung and respiratory function to name a few benefits. Perfect for battling seasonal allergies!

What greens are the best to add to your diet? Dark leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, watercress, swiss chard, arugula, bok choy, cabbage, spinach, and broccoli. Some are best eaten cooked and others can be enjoyed either raw or cooked.

Greens are high in the essential minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, E, and K. Be sure to consume with a little bit of fat for maximum nutrient absorption. Adding greens to your weekly menu can reduce your need for expensive seasonal allergy medicines and cold medicines. They are also great for keeping skin clear as they are blood purifiers and help improve circulation.

Let me introduce you to my favorite leafy green, kale. This is green curly leaf kale, you can also get red curly leaf kale and dinosaur (lacinato) which is a flat leaf kale. This is a great tasting green that can be simply steamed then drizzled with olive oil, sea salt, and your favorite spices.

This is raw kale that I purchased from Whole Foods. They do sell it at Publix already chopped and washed in a bag labeled Morning Glory.

raw kale

Kale in steaming pot. Steam for 5-7 minutes until done to your liking.

steamed kale

Here’s the kale ready to eat, simply drizzled with olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Delicious and healthy greens in no time!

kale ready to eat