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Hello, foodies…

If you were able to join us yesterday, you know I’m away on a special assignment for In the Kitchen with David this week and I won’t be with you on Wednesday. BUT—I have something special planned. At the beginning of the month, you might remember some special July Fourth posts courtesy of some of my favorite food bloggers. I LOVE reading food blogs and am often inspired by the creations I see in print and in photos. In fact, it’s the reason I started putting step-by-step photos in my own blogs. I just love how you can almost taste the food just by seeing it in the pictures!

Foodies, it’s so important to research new recipes, read blogs, and stay up-to-date in the food world so you never get stuck in a rut. So, again this week, I asked some incredibly talented bloggers to post on my behalf and preview the August theme on ITKWD—Garden to Table. Expect a breakfast recipe today, a lunch recipe tomorrow, a snack on Wednesday, dinner on Thursday, and dessert, Friday!

Without further ado, I’d like you to meet Dusty—author of All Things G&D, a lifestyle blog featuring a variety of topics including parenting, home décor, DIY and organization, and of course, FOOD. Dusty recently made a wise decision to eat better foods and live a healthy lifestyle (way to go, Dusty!), so if you’re looking for tasty, wholesome, fruit- and veggie-rich recipes, I urge you to subscribe to her blog...it's free!

Take it away, Dusty!

Three years ago I was a boxed-meal, processed foods-loving, fruits and vegetables hater.

And then I became a mom.

A mom obsessed with her daughter’s nutrition, who insisted on making all of her food from scratch using fresh ingredients…while I sat next to her highchair eating frozen pizza and potato chips.

There was a huge discrepancy between my nutritional expectations for myself and my nutritional expectations for my daughter, Kate, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get away with it forever. Shortly after Kate’s first birthday I made a choice that changed my life. I challenged myself to complete a 28 day food detox, eliminating processed foods from my diet and focusing on learning how to select, prepare, and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables and other wholesome, all-natural ingredients. Much to my surprise, I found I felt amazing eating this way. I even shed the last of my post-baby weight, and (gasp) discovered a love for vegetables! I kicked my processed foods habit, brought the garden to my table, and my health and energy levels are so much better for it.

Today one of my favorite vegetables is kale. It’s a nutritional powerhouse, packed with fiber, iron, vitamins, and antioxidants. Did you know that per calorie, kale has more iron than beef and more calcium than milk? It's one of the most nutritious foods you can put in your body, and I look for chances to sneak it into my meals whenever I can!

My most recent kale creation is this Kale Feta Frittata. Ooh, it's so delicious, and a great introductory recipe for anyone nervous about trying kale! The kale gets wilted down in the skillet and then baked in egg, so you barely even notice when you’re eating it. What are you waiting for? Grab some kale and scallions from your garden or local farmer’s market and enjoy!

Kale Feta Frittata - the perfect breakfast to treat a loved one (or yourself!) with for breakfast in bed!

Ingredients:

This recipe serves one, but you can easily multiply it and use a larger skillet to serve more people.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil


• 1 cup Kale, chopped


• 1 scallion, chopped


• 2 large eggs, whisked


• 2 Tbsp garlic & herb feta


• Salt & pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Heat the olive oil in a small ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and kale and cook, stirring, until wilted (a few minutes).


3. Pour the eggs over the kale and scallions. Top with feta cheese and season with salt and pepper.


4. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are cooked through (I bake mine for 5 minutes).

If you’d have told me three years ago that I’d be drinking kale-packed smoothies, using it to top my tacos, and adding it to my morning eggs, I’d have shoved another Dorito in my mouth and called you crazy. Now I use it as often as possible and am constantly thinking of ways to add it to my meals! What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy kale?

Time-Saving Tip: Think you’re too busy in the morning to enjoy this wholesome breakfast? Then this tip’s for you! I chop up a bunch of kale and scallions at one time and divide them into freezer-safe dishes – one frittata serving of veggies per dish – and pop them in my freezer. When I’m ready for my frittata fix I simply grab a pre-prepped portion from my freezer, toss it into my skillet and begin sautéing away! It’s a great way to reduce your prep time when you’re in a hurry!

Interested in saving even more time in the kitchen? Come on over to my blog for today’s post featuring some of my favorite “bulk prep and freeze” meal and snack recipes!

Thanks, Dusty! Foodies, Bobbie of The Rebel Foodie is up tomorrow. Don’t miss her blog.

 Keep it flavorful!
—David

P.S. Here are the highlights from my trip to Haab's Restaruant in Ypsilanti, MI. Keep checking my blog and Facebook page for more information about next month's remote. We'll have all the details finalized soon!