Banana Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal

photo credit: http://sweetgrace.typepad.com/the_inadvertent_farmer/very-vegan-recipies

1/3 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
2/3 cup milk
1 T chocolate chips
1 T peanut butter chips*
1 heaping T of roasted almond butter (or any other nut butter)
1/2 banana, thinly chopped

Microwave oatmeal and milk for 4 mins on 60% power.  Pile on other ingredients and enjoy!  Makes 1 serving.

 *Whole Foods and Trader Joe's make a trans-fat free version of these, TJ's peanut butter chips are seasonal

Italian Sausage and Kale Soup

photo credit: http://www.familybalancesheet.org/2011/11/italian-sausage-white-bean-and-kale-soup.html

1 pound raw, spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings and chopped (Whole Foods makes a good one)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion

2 stalks each carrots and celery

32 oz beef broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (14.5 ounce) can white beans (great northern or cannellini)

2 cups kale, rinsed, chopped, and packed

1/2 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage.  Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened. Stir in broth and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in beans and kale. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes.

Mango Green Smoothie

photo credit: http://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com/2013/01/sundays-smoothie-mango-banana-green.html

1 cup frozen mango

1 cup greens (mix of spinach, kale, and chard is great)

6 oz water

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!