Don’t you just love this time of the year?  I do.  I love to see the flowers blooming, the cherry blossoms, the sun on my neck and most of all, the small vegetable gardens that pop up around the city. Growing up in Alabama, my daddy always had a huge garden but being here in our Nation’s Capital it’s a little more difficult. Fortunately, we live on Capitol Hill and have a small backyard. So this year, Victor is going to build me a garden stand so I can grow herbs and veggies too!  I couldn’t be more excited!

Speaking of veggies, I noticed that the farmer’s market was bringing in the greens!  Kale, Collards, Broccoli Rabe, Onions – so many great dishes to think about preparing or trying something new!  I grew up eating collard and turnip greens but I never had kale.  Then, in October 2014, I went to a wellness conference and they made Kale Smoothies!  Yum! Yum!There are several recipes if you Google it, but I usually throw a handful of ice in the bottom of the blender, 2 handfuls of kale, 1/2 of a small banana and 1/2 of a small avocado, 1 pack of Sweet N Low and 1/2 cup of Fairlife 2% milk. Like I said, Yum! Yum! And guess what? It’s packed with nutrients.

Two cups of kale has 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber which makes you feel full. It also contains Vitamins A, C and K and a B vitamin (folate) that’s key for brain development! Kale also contains Lutein which gives kale its deep, dark green coloring and protects against macular degeneration and cataracts.

Avocados are high in fat, but don’t worry, it’s the good, healthy type of fat. They also contain fat-soluble vitamin E.  Avocados are an excellent source of antioxidants that may help slow aging and prevent certain cancers and heart disease.

So try something new this Spring and share it with me!Posted in Bariatrics, Clean Eating, Health and Wellness, Weight Loss | Edit