Kale is one of the original superfoods. It’s light in calories and absolutely stacked with nutritional benefits. That’s great, but how can you work it into your diet? The obvious answer is as a salad, but we’ll give you more. We’ve drawn up three recipes that are easy to follow and easy to love!

Kale Chips

Baking kale in the oven is one of the most popular ways to eat it. It’s also a viable replacement for potato chips. We’ve talked about the healthy alternatives to chips before, but in this regard, kale is king. You can season them however you want, and it has that crunch that makes chips so great.

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Kale Chips Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 small bunch of kale
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 2 tsp of garlic powder
  • 2 tsp of onion powder
  • 2 tsp of paprika
  • 1 tsp of dry mustard
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Remove the kale stems and cut the leaves into chip-sized pieces.
  3. In a bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.
  4. In a large bowl, cover kale with olive oil and seasonings, mixing well.
  5. Cover a large baking sheet with foil, and spread the kale the sheet.
  6. Bake the chips in the oven for about 20 minutes, checking and turning the kale after 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven when the chips are at your desired crispness.

Rustic Sausage, Kale, and Vegetable Soup

This is a light recipe that doesn’t taste light. It’s packed with flavor and won’t leave you hungry. In a sense, it’s like Italian Wedding Soup, with a few tweaks. If you’re unfamiliar, Italian Wedding Soup combines meatballs and green vegetables. How do you improve a certified Italian favorite? Give this recipe a try!

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Rustic Sausage, Kale, and Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 small bunch of kale
  • 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 15oz can of cannellini beans
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth
  • 7oz of Italian chicken sausage
  • 1 cup of orzo pasta
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil

Directions

  1. Drain and wash cannellini beans and set aside.
  2. Remove kale from stems and chop leaves into large slices.
  3. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
  4. Thinly slice the chicken sausage.
  5. Add chicken sausage, onions, and mushrooms.
  6. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
  7. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
  8. Add kale and allow it to cook for 2 minutes until the kale begins to wilt.
  9. Add beans, orzo, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  10. Reduce to a low simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
  11. Serve!

Bon Appetit’s Filling, Nutritious Smoothie

This simple recipe is excellent for a quick morning snack. Smoothies are good for your morning jumpstart because they are easy to make and combine healthy ingredients. It doesn’t hurt that they are tasty too. In this case, you’ll combine kale with peanut butter, cinnamon, and banana. Sounds like more of a dessert than a breakfast, right?

Well, the whole smoothie has only 180 calories! That’s right, fewer calories than a bowl of cereal. The Green Peanut Butter Smoothie recipe is available over at Bon Appetit. Go check it out!