Kale Chips | Easiest Recipe. Ever. {Giveaway Reminder}

I am really enjoying your responses to yesterday’s post regarding a SlimKicker challenge you could see yourself participating in. Remember, each challenge comment on that post earns you an entry for an awesome giveaway. SlimKicker is giving one of my lucky readers a 7-Quart Oval Manual, Stainless Steel Slow Cooker. Read yesterday’s post to learn about SlimKicker and to find out how to enter. There’s still time! Giveaway closes on Monday, May 28th at 11:59. Here is, once again, a look at the prize:

In other news, do you ever get the late-night munchies? I certainly do. Healthy options can be hard to think of when you want something quick and simple. When I get the munchies, I tend to want something crunchy to snack on. I usually gravitate toward plain popcorn, sprinkled with cinnamon or the kettle corn variety. (I have quite the sweet tooth!)

Last night, the munchies hit me, big time. I looked in my pantry, hoping to find some popcorn. But the only kind I was the butter flavor (and I don’t know how that ended up there because I don’t like the butter and salt flavor.) So, I decided I’d make up a batch of Kale Chips. My recipe is extremely easy, only 2 ingredients, and NO salt or oil.

 “Cheesey” Kale Chips

(No cheese is actually used, only nutritional yeast that gives a great cheese flavor. Perfect for vegans, vegetarians or flexitarians, like myself.)
Ingredients:

• 1 small bunch Kale (I had about 3 loose cups worth)
• 2 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast (I use Bragg)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.Tear kale into bite sized pieces, wash, shake dry and place in a bowl.

3. Place kale on baking sheet and sprinkle with nutritional yeast

4. Place in oven and bake 4-5 minutes, turn over and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven and Enjoy!

Nutrition Info: Calories: 139, Total Fat 0g, Sat. Fat 0g, Cholest. 0mg, Sodium, 87mg, Carb. 23g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 0g, Protein 10g

 A couple of things to note:

• Make sure you dry your Kale really well after washing. Leaving too much moisture may result in a chewy kale chip, which I don’t enjoy.
• Keep an eye on your Kale as it is cooking. Oven temperatures do vary and kale can quickly burn if kept in the oven too long.
• I enjoy these right out of the oven, still warm. But you can also enjoy these for a couple of days by putting them in an air tight container.

Again, don’t forget to enter to win SlimKicker’s giveaway! Wishing you all the best! katie

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
What’s your favorite healthy late night snack?
Have you entered to win SlimKicker’s Giveaway? Find out more by reading yesterday’s post.

Workouts Reviewed and SlimKicker {Giveaway}

There’s a giveaway involved in today’s post, so keep reading…but first, let me recap yesterday’s workouts. Monday, my first day on my new workout schedule, was a major success! I designed my strength session to be a total body workout with extra emphasis on the upper body. Simply knowing that I wanted to push my upper body made me concentrate on that muscle group more with each exercise. Just like yoga where the instructor emphasizes the importance of feeling every vertebrae, I focused on every muscle being used.

I also went to Zumba after work. Now that I view Zumba as a fun activity and not a workout for me personally, I let loose, had a blast, and actually seemed to have more energy to dance. I focused on twisting and turning, engaging my core, and putting more of myself into each move rather than just go through the motions.

You know I like apps and tools that help you live a healthy, balanced life. In previous posts, I’ve mentioned several tools I use daily to help hold me accountable toward achieving my overall health goals. Have you heard of SlimKicker? It’s a great online tool and iPhone app that helps motivate you to get fit by turning your diet and fitness goals into a level-up game. You earn points by participating in healthy eating and fitness challenges.

Examples of SlimKicker challenges include: quitting soda for a week, giving up processed meats for two weeks and committing to 100 planks over the course of a week. Some challenges give you the opportunity to win giveaways if, of course, you successfully complete them. Participate in one or several. Enjoy the many challenges offered to help you stay health-focused for life! SlimKicker also features useful tools such as a calorie counter, a fitness tracker, and a community with other similar-minded people.

One feature I particularly like about SlimKicker is the collection of recipes SlimKicker has online, each arranged by particular diet plans you may follow. Some of these diet plans include the 17 Day Diet, P90X diet plan, or the Dukan Diet…and to make some of those healthy recipes, you may need a slow cooker, right? How would you like to win this slow cooker? You can!

7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel  *Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is open to US residents only.* 

GIVEAWAY: The great people of SlimKicker want to give you, my dear reader, a chance to score this fantastic 7-Quart Oval Manual, Stainless Steel Slow Cooker. You can make some easy-to-prepare, easy-to-cook recipes (like my Mexican Salsa Chicken) in this slow cooker. Interested in winning? It’s easy. Here’s how enter this giveaway:

Mandatory: Leave a comment on a creative diet and/or fitness challenge idea that you would want to participate in, like quitting soda for a week or doing 100 plank week challenge, running 1 mile a day for 10 days, etc. The key is to be creative on the challenge! What type of fun SlimKicker challenge would you want to participate in? (Please note that this is mandatory in order to be entered into the giveaway!)

Optional: After you leave the above comment, follow me on twitter. Let your friends know about SlimKicker and this giveaway by tweeting:
“I just entered to win a 7-Quart Stainless Steel Slow Cooker in the @wishandwhimsy @SlimKicker Giveaway http://wp.me/pHJIG-kP”

I will be collecting entries until 11:59pm on Monday, May 28, 2012 and the winner will be announced shortly after. The SlimKicker team will pick their favorite challenge idea submitted by you, use it on their site, and give the winner the slow cooker. *Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is open to US residents only. 

Interested in joining SlimKicker? You can visit their website, or download their iPhone app. Wishing you all the best and the best of luck on this awesome giveaway. katie

***EDITED: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.***

(LEAVE A COMMENT: I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to comment below or visit my Contact Me page. You’ll find information  on following me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and more.)