Bon week-end à vous! In just the short six weeks since the The Kale Project has launched, I have received fantastic messages, comments and feedback from so many supporters. Your kind words, advice and suggestions have only encouraged me to keep going with this movement.
While I had a hunch, the support has only confirmed to me how many people there are in both France and the United States that truly love kale. And I’d like to share these lovely people with you. Today, I am launching a weekly series, called For The Love of Kale. It will feature a new kale enthusiast and the following Monday their favorite kale recipe. I love providing a new kale recipe for you to try (or dream about trying) on the infamous ‘Meatless Monday.’ A Monday with kale is the perfect way to get your week off to a great start.
For the first For The Love of Kale, I’m pleased to introduce Saren from This Dynamic Life. Saren and I have known each since we were born and grew up together. While life has taken us in different directions (me to Paris and her to Chicago where she just completed law school) we still keep in touch. Saren has embodied healthy eating, yoga (she’s a hardcore yogini and teaches in Chicago) and a balance into her life that I’ve always envied.
I started This Dynamic Life this last semester of law school. I was finally living and embracing the many sides of myself: the yoga side, the legal side, health and wellness side, the creative side, the spiritual side, etc. I noticed that I felt the most joy when every side of myself was expressed and nurtured. We’re not one dimensional beings. We’re complex and vibrant–we deserve to live that way.
What is the idea behind This Dynamic Life and does it have an ultimate goal?
This Dynamic Life is meant to reflect the practices that allow me to live to my fullest potential. The idea is not that you should follow my way of life. The idea and ultimate goal is inspiration–for people to discover their own practices, ways of thinking and living, that allow the utmost learning and growth.
Has cooking and good, natural food always been a part of your life? Or was there something that happened in your life that altered the way you cook and eat today?
Yes, cooking and natural food has always been part of my life. I was blessed with a mother that encouraged me to experiment in the kitchen. She also set her family’s health as one of her highest priorities. Since that wonderful upbringing, I have experimented with a plethora of diets and food lifestyles. Ultimately, I’ve come to relish feeling well and honoring my needs above else. This mostly includes gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free living. Though sometimes, if the universe moves me, I’ll have a burger and beer! Why deny yourself life?
Oh, kale. My first time with this magical vegetable was at your house. Your mom dressed it with a bit of olive oil and umeboshi vinegar. I was hooked for life. I will be forever grateful to Sharon Beddard-Hess!
I have kale at least once a day. For breakfast, in fact – see my breakfast smoothie. For the rest of the day, I may include it include it in salads (steamed or raw), put it on sandwiches, or have it as a side in Sharon Beddard-Hess style.
Kale tastes like a buttery, invigorating green that can make me feel healthy and nurtured in just one bite.
In Chicago, the vibe about kale certainly depends on the friends you keep. All my friends adore it. Simply put, if you’re at all healthy, you love kale. Chicago restaurants that serve kale well are Karyn’s Raw and Karyn’s on Green, Native Foods, and the Lincoln Park Whole Foods’ salad bar (you can get it every which way!).
Most people don’t know that my biggest weakness are french fries with truffle oil. Seriously, its my kryptonite.
Merci to the lovely Saren and for your inspiration. If you need a pick-me-up during your week, check out her blog as there is always a motivating message. And get ready for Monday’s first kale recipe from Saren!
Follow This Dynamic Life on Facebook or Twitter.
*Photo credit: Heather Scott
[…] she started the “For the Love of Kale” series, featuring this dynamic […]