Raw Transition Recipe with Kale for the New Year!
Happy New Year! It is 2011 and I am excited. I love clean slates, fresh starts and dates that motivate! When the new year starts, I get in a cleaning out mode. I want to attack the closets, my office, and my diet. I normally give myself way too much leeway between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the new year is a great time to get back on track.
This year my goal is to help you ease into raw. Along with all of the 100% raw recipes, I will be doing more transitional recipes and also our raw plus recipes. At this time of the year, when I wake up to a -15 windchill, I will be exploring recipes that give us a way to add more substance without having to rely on only dehydration or heavy nuts.
Don’t get me wrong, I love raw. In the spring, summer and fall, I am almost 100%. But in the dead of winter, here when it is dark and cold, I like to add in some healthy grains and beans. Today, I wanted to whip up something quick with barley.
Barley is a super healthy grain that not only helps regulate blood sugar, recent studies suggest that it has multiple positive effects on cholesterol. It is loaded with fiber, and helps promote intestinal and colon health. It is a low glycemic grain that has been shown to be anti-inflammatory. Please note: If you are gluten intolerant, barley does contain gluten. You can substitute your grain of choice.
For this recipe, I made the barley, threw it in a pan with some sauteed shallots and kale. It is topped with a tasty sauce and fresh carrots. The kale is sauteed very quickly, just enough to heat and wilt but not destroy all the nutrients. The carrots go on fresh. Kale is one of the greens that I like to eat both lightly cooked and raw. Vitamin K greatly increases in cooked kale but you will also lose some of the vitamin c. So, getting it both ways is a bonus.
Barley Kale Sauté
SERVES 4
- 1 cup barley
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 1/3 cup sliced shallots
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 large bunch kale, stems removed, torn into bite sized pieces
- 2-3 carrots, grated
- 2 tablespoons nama shoyu
- 1 tablespoon agave or honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- lemon juice
- Brazil nuts
- Make the barley. Combine barley and water in sauce pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered until soft (20-30 minutes).
- Heat oil in saucepan. Add sliced shallots and ginger. Sauté until soft.
- Add barley and heat throughly.
- Add kale and sauté until just wilted. You should only have the kale on the heat for a minute or two. *
- Remove from saucepan, top stir in carrots.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, nama shoyu and honey or agave. Mix into kale mixture.
- Top with a squeeze of lemon juice and grated brazil nuts, if desired.
*To keep this a higher percentage of raw, you can massage the kale with olive oil and lemon juice and add it without heating.
Looking for another transitional recipe? Try our Fresh Veggies with Black Beans
Mr. Meltdown wrote on January 3, 2011
That looks like a really good recipe to try out. I am new to the raw food community and this really helps me in the creative process of finding new and tasty things to try. Thanks!!!
Stephanie Fenton wrote on January 3, 2011
Thank you, Susan! I live in the Midwest, and almost-raw recipes that contain filling grains and beans are a blessing on a cold winter’s day!
Joanna wrote on January 3, 2011
Great way to pull these ingredients together 😀 I love your New Year logo at the top of the page, too! Happy 2011 to you! Thank you for all of your hard work to bring us nutritous, delicious and gorgeous food. I have learned so much from Rawmazing…
Blessings,
Joanna
Elizabeth wrote on January 3, 2011
That looks like a great recipe. I would make it raw for me and make it as is for the kiddos.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful food ideas and pics.
Peace & Raw Health,
Elizabeth
Erin Martinez wrote on January 3, 2011
This looks amazing! I am easing into a raw lifestyle and I’m really excited to try this recipe. I just got my dehydrator (Christmas gift!) and so far I’ve done lots of dried fruits and dried herbs. I love kale, but recently found out I have hypothyroidism and I’ve read that I should stay away from kale..(which is really sad for me b/c i use it in a lot of my juices). So can you recommend a substitute for the kale in this recipe?
Thanks 🙂
Susan wrote on January 3, 2011
You could try spinach. 🙂
Charlot wrote on January 3, 2011
Happy New Year! So glad I found your site. I am always looking for new and creative recipes. I think this is the year of the raw food diet. It is really gaining momentum. I love that many celebrities are eating more raw food.
I think more and more Americans are taking control of their own health and nutrition, and getting away from the SAD (Standard American Diet) which is so terrific. There are such a large number of vegan sites now it really makes me happy!
Have a healthy day!
Charlot 🙂
Allie @ PickyEatingRD wrote on January 2, 2011
I have been looking for a good barley recipe!! This one looks so yummy!!!
Hanne wrote on January 2, 2011
It looks delicious! I definitely want to try that recipe someday 🙂