Healthy Twists

Tonight’s dinner was so good, I’m posting it even though my photos, well, suck.

(I really think I need a new camera, but also the lighting in my condo is terrible. I need to do more experimenting with lighting…and learn how to take photos! I think my blog will be 100% better if I can improve my photography. But I digress.)

This week, I got a huge bunch of kale and a itty-bitty butternut squash in my CSA bundle. I have never actually prepped a b-nut squash, so I was pretty excited to take on the challenge. I’m hoping this is the start of a winter full of lovely squash with which I can make soups, stuff and bake, roast, oh and of course…butternut squash fries!

I consulted the internet for recipes with kale and butternut squash, and this one from Prevention caught my eye. Of course, I can never leave a recipe alone, so here are my changes:

• 1/2 T oil instead of a 1
• added about 1/3 cup chopped onions to the pot before adding the garlic
• diced canned tomatoes instead of whole (that’s what I had)
• I’m sure my recipe had more kale and less squash than the recipe calls for…my squash was very small, and I probably wasted a bunch of it, peeling the darn thing
• I added a few shakes of a habanero hot sauce I picked up the other day. I was scared so I didn’t add much, and it ended up not being too spicy at all.
• No sage. Added black pepper.
• Added a squeeze of lemon juice, to counter any bitterness from the kale and about 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce, just for fun

To boost the protein, I added about 2 oz of grilled chicken. I also made some Kath-style bread “croutons,” AKA toast that was cut into chunks. The bread is some type of sprouted-grain bread, which is quite hearty, making for perfect soup-dipping.

At first taste, I thought the soup was bland, but after a few more bites, I really liked it. I think I’m so used to cooking really with tons of spice and heat that sometimes I forget I actually like the taste of vegetables, especially organic, locally grown produce like this squash and kale.

In addition to tasting lovely, how good was this meal, nutrition-wise? Let’s see…

Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, calcium, vitamin B6 and potassium. (source)

Most winter squash are a good source of vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, niacin, phosphorus and potassium. (source)

Garlic contains more than 100 sulfur compounds, which may help promote healthy arteries and cholesterol levels. (source)

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of molybdenum, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, chromium, and vitamin B1. (source)

A diet high in whole grain foods is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. (source)

I needed to eat a meal that was full of veggies, whole grains, and fresh, wholesome flavors. There was a candy corn incident earlier today, and tonight I was craving good-for-me food. I believe that we make our food decisions one meal at a time. I ate too much sugar today, and while a sweaty workout (30 min run and Shred Level 2) and a healthy dinner doesn’t undo that, it does remind me how much better I feel, inside and out, when I eat whole, fresh, “clean” foods.

Is your home/office candy central right now? How are you dealing with it? I know I need to stock up on healthy snacks at work, and I need to eat larger meals so I don’t have the urge to snack on junk! That’s my new plan.

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