Massaged Kale and Craisin Salad with Feta Cheese

The only thing I have in my winter garden right now is kale, and it is thriving. This salad is such a yummy way to use up the kale.  I love it!!

Massaged Kale and Craisin Salad with Feta Cheese

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup craisins
3/4 cup small diced apple
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese

Directions:
1.  Wash the kale and pat it dry.  Slice off the stiff stems below and in the middle of the kale leaves.  This should create a thin "V" in the middle of your leaf.  You want to remove all the stiff stem.  Slice the remaining kale leaves into thin strips.
2.  Place the kale ribbons in a large mixing bowl.  Add the salt and massage it into the kale with your hands for about two minutes.
3.  Toss in the red onions, craisins, apples, sunflower seeds.  In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and sugar.  Pour over the salad and toss.  Sprinkle Feta cheese over the top and serve.  This salad holds quite well overnight too.  Don't be afraid of saving it for leftovers.

Serves: 6

Recipe Source:  My SIL Shalae who got it from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Egg Nog French Toast

I created this over Christmas break so that my family would help me finish the Egg Nog.  Nobody in my family of 6 likes Egg Nog except for me....and hello...have you seen how many delicious calories there are in Egg Nog?  My body can't afford to drink it all by myself.  So I made this French Toast, and everyone loved it!  Hooray!

Egg Nog French Toast
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Egg Nog
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 loaf of french bread

Directions:
Whisk together Egg Nog, milk, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg until eggs and spices are well blended.  Slice french bread into 3/4 inch thick slices.  Dip each slice of bread in the egg nog mixture and place on griddle.  Flip and cook on the other side.  Enjoy with this cinnamon syrup.

Oatmeal Pancakes

So it's the beginning of 2016, and we have jumped on the "Let's get healthy" bandwagon.  My hubs and I are doing a health challenge where you can't have any sugar (except for 1 cheat day a week), and we have to eat a certain amount of fruits and veggies everyday among other things.  These pancakes were such a delicious way to start the morning and get our fruit in. Plus the kids all like them too.  Another bonus is that they are super filling.  You don't feel like you are starving in an hour or even two hours.  I LOVE these pancakes!

Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. honey

2 eggs 

2 1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Mix wet ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.  Then add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.  Stir until barely mixed.  (The more you mix, the less fluffy the pancakes will be.)  Cook on a griddle or frying pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  

Makes 12 pancakes (using 1/3 cup batter per pancake)

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 1 Pancake; Calories: 112; Fat: 2.4 g; Fiber: 2.5 g; Protein: 6 g; Carbs: 16.5 g

Recipe Source:  Slightly Adapted from my Mom's Family Cookbook