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recipe kale soup paleo diet greens veg superfood

Recipe: kale soup

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Kale is one of the best leafy greens out there, packed with nutrition and flavour. In fact, here are 12 reasons why you should get more kale in your diet. I tend to buy a lot of it when it’s in season (and cheap!) and once I’ve made kale chips, green smoothies and kale salad, it’s time to move on to soup.

Recipe: Kale Soup
Recipe type: Soups
Prep time: 
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Ingredients
  • Dash extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or a sprig, if using fresh)
  • 1 litre chicken stock (find out how to make it here)
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
  • 400g fresh kale
  • Sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pan, add the olive oil and onions and over a medium heat, fry for a few minutes until the onions start to soften.
  2. Before the onions start to colour, add in the garlic and thyme and stir on the heat for 1 - 2 minutes.
  3. Slowly pour the chicken stock into the pan and add in the diced sweet potatoes.
  4. Bring the pan to the boil, then reduce and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is starting to come apart.
  5. Add in the fresh kale and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the kale is cooked and soft.
  6. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processer and blitz until the mixture is smooth throughout. You may need to do this in multiple batches depending on how powerful your blender is.
  7. Return to the pan over the heat.
  8. Season as required, then serve.

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This can be made ahead and will keep in the fridge for a day or so, ready to be reheated. Alternatively make a big batch and store individual size portions in the freezer, ready to pull out on a day you don’t feel like cooking.

12 reasons you should eat more kale paleo diet healthy

12 reasons you should eat more kale

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I'm trying to get a lot more vegetables in my diet – particularly those of the green variety. Kale is my current favourite, it tastes a lot better than it looks and is densely packed with nutrition! Kale is a cruciferous vegetable – and in the Brassica family, but it packs far more of a nutritional punch than its other family members; cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Here are 12 reasons you should get more in your diet!

1. It’s full of flavonoids (45 different types) which have many antioxidant & anti-inflammatory benefits.

2. It’s loaded with vitamin K which is crucial for proper blood clotting

3. It also gives a good dose of vitamins A and C – in fact far more vitamin C than an orange.

4. Lots of minerals are also found, such as copper, potassium, phosphorus and manganese

5. Calcium is also more abundant in kale than it is in milk (so those myths that paleo will leave you deficient in calcium are completely unfounded)

6. Kale is a great source of sulphur – and we all know we should be eating more sulphurous veggies….

12 reasons you should eat more kale paleo diet healthy

7. It's  high in iron, essential for a good immune system.

8. Generally kale is a fairly cheap veg, so it’s great to pack out meals on a budget

9. Green fingers? Kale is a relatively easy veg to grow – and the best thing is it’s always fresh!

10. With curly kale, red kale, baby kale  and even a purple kale – you can’t get bored of it!

11. Not that we care about calories, but kale is very low in calories

12. It’s also very low fat – but don’t worry, you can rectify this by cooking it in a generous amount of coconut oil!

How to eat it?

I often just stir fry some kale in coconut oil, but kale is also great in green smoothies – and if you haven’t tried kale chips yet, you’re missing out! If you’d usually eat spinach, try swapping it out for some kale in recipes. And if your family aren't keen on it, try steaming it, puréeing it and mixing it into dishes like stews and casseroles. They’ll never know!

Kale is also great raw in salads – and it goes really well mixed in with some scrambled eggs for a nutritious start to the day.

Are you a kale fan? How do you like yours – tell me you tips in the comments below!

Cajun Kale Chips paleo recipe crisps-min

Recipe: Cajun Kale Chips

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Kale chips have to be one of the easiest, tastiest, and most fun ways to eat copious amounts of this green superfood. They are really easy to make; they just require a little patience and delicate seasoning. They can be enjoyed sweet (I’ve made both cinnamon and chocolate kale chips, both of which were delicious!) and savoury, but in this recipe I’ve gone for a smoky, slightly spicy, Cajun seasoning. You're going to love my Cajun Kale Chips!

A quick note – If you’re using salt, sprinkle it on AFTER the kale chips are cooked. Otherwise, it will attract water to the kale and make them soggy. Also, don’t use olive oil, as the kale chips will have a bitter taste. Avocado and macadamia oils are both excellent choices.

Recipe: Cajun Kale Chips
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Snacks
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Ingredients
  • 4 bunches kale
  • 2 tbsp macadamia nut / avocado oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 160C / 300F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Chop the kale. If you need to wash it, make sure it is COMPLETELY dry before you take any further steps. A bit of dirt never hurt anyone, so I skipped the washing stage.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the kale leaves in the oil. Mix the spices together, and massage them onto the kale.
  4. Place the kale onto the baking parchment, leaving space in between each soon to be chip. You may need to roast them in batches. Transfer to the top shelf of the oven, and bake for 20 minutes – do not open the oven at all in this time!
  5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.

Cajun Kale Chips paleo recipe crisps-min

Raw Kale Salad with Goji Berries, Sprouts and Pumpkin Seeds paleo primal lunch dinner-min

Recipe: Raw Kale Salad with Goji Berries, Sprouts and Pumpkin Seeds

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Packed with nutritional super foods, the key with this raw kale salad lunch recipe is the marinating time – the longer it is given, the greater the flavour will be. Not only that, the apple cider vinegar softens the kale to make it easier to digest at its nutritional best (raw!). Make a big batch to see you through lunch for the next couple of days. Throw some shredded chicken in for extra protein!

Raw Kale Salad Ingredients:

  • 2 large handfuls thinly sliced kale leaves
  • 2 medium carrots, grated
  • 2 medium celery stalks, peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ cup mixed sprouts, such as broccoli, radish, clover, alfalfa etc
  • ¼ cup goji berries
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Raw Kale Salad How To:

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. Whizz together the oil and vinegar, then drizzle over the salad, tossing as you go. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with gladwrap/ cling film and keep in the fridge until required!

Raw Kale Salad with Goji Berries, Sprouts and Pumpkin Seeds paleo primal lunch dinner-min

Clean and Green Vegetable Juice smoothie healthy paleo recipe primal-min

Recipe: Clean and Green Vegetable Juice

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No matter how healthy a lifestyle we may lead, sometimes every day pressures can catch up on us and leave us feeling a little run down. Get yourself back on track with this vibrant, nutrient dense green vegetable juice.

I invested in a juicer about two years ago, and its one of the best purchases I have ever made for my kitchen. If you don’t have one, try whizzing this up in a high powered blender. You’ll get a little froth on top, but the health benefits will all be there.

Green Vegetable Juice Ingredient:

(enough for 2 large glasses)

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 4 tightly packed cups of spinach
  • 10 kale leaves
  • 4 inch piece of ginger
  • Juice 2 lemons

Green Vegetable Juice How To:

Juice all the ingredients on full power, bar the lemon.

When done, stir in the lemon juice and serve immediately!

Clean and Green Vegetable Juice smoothie healthy paleo recipe primal-min

Top ten paleo diet foods list-min

The Top Ten Paleo Diet Foods

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What do you think are the top ten Paleo foods, and why? Here is my list…

Paleo-Diet-Recipe-Primal-The-Top-Ten-Foods-10-min

1. Grass fed beef

Good quality grass-fed beef is a great source of protein, omega 3 and many other nutrients. It’s also extremely versatile; grill it, barbeque it, make it into jerky or grind it into mince beef to use in lots of different meals –using the leftover bones to make a nourishing bone broth.

2. Pastured Chicken

Pastured chicken is delicious as the centre of a roast dinner – and the leftovers make beautiful chicken stock. A great protein source, left over chicken is great to snack on, or turn into curries and soup.

3. Bacon

What list of Paleo foods is complete without bacon? You can even use the remaining fat to cook with.

4. Coconut Oil

As well as being a great oil to cook pretty much anything in, this saturated fat is great on it’s own by the spoonful! Coconut oil is also believed to be a great help with dementia and can even be used on your skin.

5. Avocado

Avocado is a perfect fat source and goes with almost anything. You can even cook it, or use it to make a dessert!

6. Eggs

Not only are eggs a great protein source, they are great for making paleo egg fried rice, filling for breakfast – and easy to hardboil in advance to keep peeled in the fridge as a ready snack.

7. Berries

Berries are relatively low in fructose and a great source of antioxidants.

8. Kale

Kale is a true superfood, as it is packed with magnesium, calcium, vitamins A, C and K, lutein, iron and antioxidants. You can even turn it into kale chips!

9. Onions

Onions are a sulphur rich vegetable (which Dr. Terry Walhs considers important enough to eat three cupful’s worth a day) – and just so incredibly versatile. Whether you’re making a stew – or even an omelette, onions will be a great addition.

10. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great base for lots of meals – such as beanless chilli – as they lend themselves so readily to sauce.

Do you agree with my list? What would be on your top ten list of Paleo foods?

Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips paleo recipe crisps-min

Recipe: Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

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I finally found some Kale locally and after hearing so many great reports about Kale Chips, thought I'd make my own.

I used to love Salt & Vinegar chips (or crisps as they're known in the UK), so thought I'd attempt a Paleo equivalent.

Ingredients

  • A few leaves of kale
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Vinegar

Method

  • I preheated the over to 175C (350F)
  • I washed the kale and tore it off the steam, into small pieces. I then dried it thoroughly using a clean tea towel to make sure there was no water left.
  • I arranged the kale on a baking tray and coated with olive oil before putting into the oven
  • I kept an eye on the kale and after ten minutes removed from the oven.
  • Finally, I seasoned with the salt and a small amount of vinegar.

This was incredibly easy – and had the crunchy texture of crisps. A perfect Paleo snack!

Have you tried Kale chips? How do you make yours?

Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips paleo recipe crisps-min

Paleo green smoothie recipe juice diet-min

Recipe: Green Smoothie

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Now we’re coming into summer, it’s a great time to enjoy an ice cold Paleo Smoothie. Instead of relying on fruit, it’s far better to make green smoothies using vegetables.

Almond butter and coconut milk are great ways to add in some good fat.

Paleo green smoothie recipe juice diet-min

Recipe: Green Smoothie
Recipe type: Drinks
Prep time: 
Total time: 
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A delicious way of getting some sneaky green goodness into your diet
Ingredients
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 8 frozen strawberries
  • 30g (2 tablespoons) almond butter
  • 250ml (1 cup) coconut milk
  • 250g (2 cups) spinach
Instructions
  1. Freeze a (peeled) banana and some strawberries overnight in the freezer.
  2. Put the bananas, strawberries, almond butter and coconut milk in the blender.
  3. Fill the rest of the blender with spinach (kale would also work well, if you can get hold of it!)
  4. Blend, and enjoy!

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Do you often make smoothies? What are your favourite ingredients? Share in the comments below.