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I Ate Kale for A Week and Here is What Happened

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois State chapter.

Alright Illinois State Redbirds: here is the down-low. Kale is my new favorite thing and I think it will be yours too, AFTER you try these recipes! They are super easy and work great with a college student schedule. I know it may be a little intimidating, but these recipes integrate kale in such a way that you can hardly taste it, which is more than okay with me. Yeah, I know…healthy eating and college have not always gone hand-in-hand, but this will change everything. Ok, enough of the soap-opera talk…here is a recipe break-down I followed and what my results were at the end of the week! I hope you readers will try out some of these delicious kale recipes for yourselves.

 

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: Let’s be honest, the most grueling days of the week; but this smoothie will surely energize you to get all of those tasks checked off the list!:

 

Ingredients:

* 1 cup greek yogurt

* 2 tbsp. natural peanut butter

* 2 handfuls of kale

* Honey (just to taste)

* ½ cup almond milk

* 1 banana

OPTIONAL: Any other fruit you have in your fridge! I added a couple of strawberries to sweeten it up a little.

 

Thursday: KALE CHIPS! Move over, Lays…there is a new, and healthier, chip in town. Here is the recipe I followed if you want step-by-step pictures: http://www.kitchentreaty.com/how-to-make-kale-chips/

Ingredients:

* 1 bunch of kale

* 1 tbsp. of olive oil

* ¼ Kosher salt

 

Friday: Sweet Potato, Kale, and Shrimp Skillet. You guys, this was SO good and I recommend trying it ASAP. This recipe will be on repeat in my kitchen for the next four weeks. Here is the recipe I followed if you want step-by-step pictures: http://www.primaverakitchen.com/sweet-potato-kale-and-shrimp-skillet/

Ingredients:

* 2 tbsp. olive oil

* ½ cup onion, diced

* Red pepper flakes (to taste)

* 2 garlic cloves, minced

* 2 cups sweet potatoes, diced

* 2 cups fresh shrimp

* 3 cups trimmed and coarsely chopped kale leaves

* Ground black pepper

* Salt

 

 

The results: Kale used to be super intimidating to me, especially after seeing the green concoctions that everyone was drinking on social media. I decided to try it for myself and see what all the hype was about and I can now see why everyone loves it! It is super good for you and is a super healthy and easy alternative to our usual college student food selections. I felt fantastic after integrating kale into my daily routine. I felt energized and ready for a weekend of fun with my family!

Try out these recipes for yourself and leave a comment below about your results!

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Cassie Zimmer

Illinois State

Hi! My name is Cassie Zimmer and I am a writer for HerCampus Illinois State. I am so excited to have just joined an awesome group of ladies to share my love of writing with. I am a fashionista who loves keeping up to date with the latest trends in the fashion industry. I hope to write articles that will be enjoyable for the fans of HerCampus to read and will hopefully take something away from the information I provide.
Contributor account for Illinois State