“Things that you are unlikely to regret: exercise, eating healthily, challenging yourself, making a plan, being kind.”
― Freequill
Nutrition Information
Serving Size ¼ - of recipe
Calories 514
Carbohydrate Content 33 g
Cholesterol Content 25 mg
Fat Content 38 g
Fiber Content 6.5 g
Protein Content14 g
Saturated Fat Content 7 g
Salad Ingredients:
· 1 sweet potato (14 oz), cut into ½-inch chunks
· 1 tbsp avocado oil · ¼ tsp sea salt · ¼ tsp ground black pepper · 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper, optional · 12 oz sweet chicken sausage, casings removed · 1 bundle of kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn (about 6 cups) · 1 apple (any variety), sliced · 3 tbsp chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Vinaigrette Ingredients:
. 1/3 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil · 1 small shallot · 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar (TRY: Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar) · 1 clove garlic, minced · 1 tsp Dijon mustard · ¼ tsp pure maple syrup · ½ tsp sea salt · ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Preparation 1. Make vinaigrette: Add all dressing ingredients to a small food processor and process until smooth. 2. Make salad: Preheat oven to 400ºF; place a large baking sheet in oven as it preheats. In a large bowl, combine potato, avocado oil, salt, pepper and cayenne (if using); toss. Spread on hot sheet and roast until tender, golden and caramelized in spots, 20 to 24 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on medium. Break up sausage into skillet and cook, stirring often and breaking up large pieces, until cooked through and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; cover to keep warm. 4. In a large bowl, combine kale and enough dressing to lightly coat leaves. Using your hands, massage kale until wilted and tender. Divide among plates or shallow bowls. Top with sweet potato, sausage and apple; drizzle with a little more dressing and sprinkle with pecans. MAKE AHEAD: Make vinaigrette up to 2 days ahead; keep covered in the refrigerator. Toast pecans, cook sausage and roast sweet potatoes the day before. Keep sweet potatoes and sausage covered, separately, in refrigerator; keep pecans covered at room temperature.
Photo by: Lisa Zaccagnini
Chicken Sausage vs. Italian Sausage:
According to the USDA Food Composition Database: ITALIAN SAUSAGE: Higher in Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1 needs 42% more than chicken meat, contains 9x more sodium than chicken. Compare Italian sausage meat at 731mg of sodium to 82mg sodium in chicken CHICKEN SAUSAGE: Higher in Vitamin B3, B5, B6, Phosphorus, and Vitamin A & E Saturated Fat: Italian meat: 11.27g/Chicken meat 3.79g
Photo by: Louis Hansel
White Potato vs. Sweet Potato According to Beth Czerwony, RD and healthy.clevelandclinic.org, “both potato types bring healthy attributes to the table”. Here is where they differ: Based on a medium size baked potato: WHITE POTATO: 159 calories vs. SWEET POTATO: 103 calories 37g carbs 24 g carbs 3g sugar 7g sugar 4g fiber 4g fiber 4g protein 2g protein .3g fat .2g fat 1mg iron .8mg iron 17mg calcium 43mg calcium 941mg potassium 542mg potassium 17 IU vitamin A 21,900 IU vitamin A “As you can see, they are very close in offering health benefits. Either potato is a good food option however, sweet potatoes pull to the top of the option chart by their orange color. The color indicates the presence of beta carotene, an antioxidant that works to protect our body’s cells from damage and diseases like cancer. Our body converts the beta carotene into off-the-charts levels of vitamin A. In the end it comes down to personal preference”. “The best way to prepare potatoes of any kind is to bake them because it creates the least reduction in nutrients. Be careful with the toppings you choose and eat the skin. In a 2017 study it has been found that eating fried potatoes even 2x per week increased the risk of death”.
Photo by: Maria Orlova
Kale vs. Spinach
According to healthline.com, “of all the healthy greens to choose from, Kale is king. Both have high Vitamin K but Kale wins in Vitamin C by more than twice the amount. One distinct difference is that Spinach contains oxalate, a compound that binds to calcium in your body, preventing its absorption, and this prevention can lead to kidney stones. 80% of kidney stone cases are composed of oxalate. Boiling spinach can reduce the concentration of dietary oxalate by up to 87%. The downside to Kale is that it contains a compound called Goitrin which has been found to interfere with thyroid function. In both cases, cooking Kale or Spinach prior to eating it can help prevent any side effects. Both Spinach and Kale contailn7 calories per cup and 1g carbs. They are nearly matched in Calcium, Niacin, Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, Protein, Folate, FIber and Riboflavin.” Kale has a long list of benefits. Here is the run down:
Here are 10 benefits to eating Kale:
1-Kale is among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.
2-Kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants like Quercetin and Kaempferol. Rich in Vitamin A and C as well as various flavonoids and polyphenols.
3-Can help lower cholesterol. High cholesterol is a cause of heart disease. Kale contains substances that bind bile acids and lower cholesterol levels in the body. Best eaten steamed.
4-Kale is one of the world’s best sources of vitamin K. Vitamin K is critical for blook clotting and does this by activating certain proteins and giving them the ability to bind calcium.
5-Kale is cancer fighting. Kale is loaded with compounds that are believed to have protective effects against cancer. One such compound is called sulforaphane, a substance that has been shown to help fight the formation of cancer at the molecular level.
6-Kale is high in beta carotene, which, as an antioxidant, helps the body turn into Vitamin A.
7-Kale is a good source of minerals. Minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which most people are deficient in.
8-Kale is high in Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These two nutrients have been linked to a drastically reduced risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
9-Kale should be able to help you lose weight. It is nutrient dense, low calorie, contains small amounts of protein and fiber, high water content and has low energy density which all aid in weight loss.
10-Kale chips are a great way to eat a healthy portion of Kale. Drizzle evoo or avocado oil on to the Kale, add a dash of sea salt or Mrs. Dash seasoning of your choice and bake in the oven until dry.
Play around with the main ingredients. Recipes like:
-Sheet pan chicken sausage, sweet potato and kale
-Sweet potato, chicken sausage and kale soup
-Sweet potato, chicken sausage and kale bake
-One skillet sweet potato, chicken sausage and kale