So, I’ve been buying kale whenever I go grocery shopping lately. Because I’ve been feeling like I buy the same old vegetables all the time: the lettuce, the peppers, the tomatoes, the carrots, the frozen broccoli, the spinach, and, if I’m feeling adventurous, the cucumber….ahem.

Also, I’ve heard that DARK leafy green vegetables are WHERE IT’S AT — and not just your usual spinach and lettuce. It’s all about the COLLARDS and the KALES. Packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, they are! So, I’m starting with kale.

I’ve been buying it weekly for several weeks now, and it always just rots in my fridge because I’m too lazy to take on the KALE ADVENTURE. But, this week, I was determined to use my beautiful bunch of organic kale….

KALE CHIPS!!!!!!!!!

Kale chips, Gorgeouses. They are FABULOUS. They’re crispy and tasty and, WHO CARES WHAT I HAVE TO SAY when I have THIS EVIDENCE:

Monkey, aka PICKIEST-EATER-ON-THE-PLANET, LOVED her “chips”! Need I say more….

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

1. Remove the stems from the kale.

2. Cut or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

3. Toss leaves with oil, salt, and pepper — making sure all are covered.

4. Place the leaves in a single layer on a lined/lightly greased baking sheet.

5. Place in the oven for anywhere from 4 to 15 minutes (every recipe I’ve seen says something different, but I baked mine for about 12 minutes). Time really varies here — depending on how wet your leaves are, how big you make them, etc.. Just make sure the kale becomes crispy but not burned. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

So, I lost 2.8 pounds this week! This is actually a bit of a miracle because I’ve been a cheaty little monkey in the diet department — at least toward the end of the week, when I got this BRUTAL COLD and was too lazy to tell my inner diet devil to SHUDDUUUUP!

This week, I’m going hard core, though. My plan, based on Lori’s sage advice, is to CLEAN OUT THE FRIDGE and MAKE ROOM FOR THE VEGGIES!

My problem with veggies is that I CAN’T BE BOTHERED. With two kids under 3, there’s no freaking time to chop chop chop. AND, I’m CRAZY — it takes me forever to wash a fruit. LORD HELP US ALL when I buy berries; I’m standing over the sink rinsing and soaking and re-rinsing those berries…. It’s ridiculous. And, it’s ridiculously time-consuming and exhausting.

SO, Lori gave me the best advice:

1) Buy as much as you can PRE-CHOPPED and PRE-WASHED. Pre-chopped green beans, pre-chopped carrots, etc., etc.. It may cost a WEE bit extra, but it’s worth it. “But,” I asked her, “Is that healthy? They’re sitting in the plastic bag, likely not organic, etc., etc.?” “It’s much better for you than not eating them at all, Haley,” she replied…. Point taken!

2) Chop chop chop all your vegetables asap after buying them so that you can just GRAB them out of the fridge. Lori says she does this on Sundays…. I think that’s a good habit to get in to. I’m there….

So, tomorrow we start. Clean fridge. Clean eating. Loading up on the veggies….

Now, to get some sleep so I can be strong and get FIT and HEALTHY!

What are YOUR secrets to getting your veggies in? Please share!