Kalejunkie

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From “gluten free and cheesy” to “something cozy with cinnamon” this search gets you. It’s smart enough to find exactly what you’re craving.

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the Vibes even fuRther!

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What’s your flavor?

Sweet, savory, snacky or stacked—whatever you’re feelin’, there’s a recipe waiting.

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Hey, I’m Nicole! Founder of kale junkie

Where bold flavor
meets
uncomplicated
cooking

Nicole Modic with long brown hair, wearing a patterned blouse and gold jewelry, sits at a kitchen counter holding a mug. She is looking at the camera and smiling softly, with pastries visible in the foreground.

about
nicole

Your go-to girl for bold, nourishing eats that actually taste good.  
Kale Junkie started as a personal journey and grew into a full-on love for creating food that fuels and empowers. Around here, I keep it real: eat foods that make you feel good – and that includes the damn cookie! If you’re into no-fuss meals that hit hard on flavor and confidence, you’re in the right place.

The Scoop about me

My ride or die recipe

A wooden bowl filled with a salad containing cucumbers, avocado, edamame, and pieces of salmon. The ingredients are mixed with what appears to be sun-dried tomatoes. A serving spoon with a woven handle rests in the bowl. In the background, there are two forks on a pink napkin.

Crispy Rice Salmon Cucumber Salad with Creamy Asian Dressing

STEP 1

prepare crispy rice topping
STEP 2

season and bake salmon
STEP 3

mix dressing
STEP 4

chop and toss ingredients
STEP 5

voila!

Party of one

single
serving

Desserts

Best Ever Mini Pumpkin Pies

A bowl of yogurt topped with raspberry jam and cookie crumbs on a pink surface, surrounded by fresh raspberries, a plate of Biscoff cookies, a spoon with jam, and an open jar of raspberry preserves.

Desserts

Viral Japanese Cheesecake (Raspberry)

Two iced lattes in ribbed glasses topped with crushed cookies and bear-shaped biscuits, served with gold spoons. Honey, a small jug, more bear biscuits, and a bowl with cookie crumbs surround the drinks.

Drinks

Viral Teddy Graham Latte

Single Serving

Single Serving Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll

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A big pot of the one-pan "Marry Me" chicken orzo, sitting on a countertop with a spoon resting inside of it

Your next kitchen crush

hot right now

One-Pan “Marry Me” Chicken Orzo

Tender chicken breasts paired with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce and hearty orzo is such a good combination, it'll make you want to marry the person who made it for you! Introducing my One-Pan "Marry Me" Chicken Orzo, an easy, delicious take on the classic "Marry Me" chicken. This dish is the perfect weeknight dinner: it comes together with just one pan and and in a matter of minutes, making it the perfect cozy and comforting weeknight dinner.

Get in my belly

What’s cooking on the ‘gram

watch it, crave it @kalejunkie

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I can justify every single one of these and that’s the problem. Which two are you choosing?

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@kalejunkie APPLE PIE CHIA PUDDING with 41g protein and 16g fiber per serving 😏!! You’ve been asking for more high protein, high fiber breakfasts, and I’VE GOT YOU 🙆🏻‍♀️! My trick is to front-load my day with protein, because if I don’t get enough in early, I’m scrambling to hit my goal by dinner (usually by stuffing my face with ground chicken). And this makes it EASY. Creamy vanilla chia pudding, cinnamon maple apples, and a peanut butter drizzle. It tastes like dessert, but it’s breakfast waiting for you in the fridge! Make a batch for 4 grab-and-go breakfasts that you’ll actually look forward to eating.⁣
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Estimated macros per serving with the PB drizzle: 41g protein • 38g carbs • 11g fat • 16g fiber.⁣
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Comment LINK and I’ll send you these perfectly portioned jars to make meal prep easy! ⁣
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Makes 4 servings⁣
2 cups plain greek yogurt (I use 0% Fage Greek)⁣
1 1/4 cups vanilla protein powder⁣
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk ⁣
1/2 cup chia seeds⁣
2 tsp maple syrup⁣
1 tb vanilla extract ⁣
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Apple topping⁣
1 large Honeycrisp apple, finely diced⁣
2 tsp maple syrup ⁣
1/2 tsp cinnamon ⁣
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Peanut butter drizzle (optional)⁣
1/2 cup powdered peanut butter⁣
1/4 cups water⁣
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Add the Greek yogurt, protein powder, almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla extract to a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Let sit for 5–10 minutes, then stir again to break up any clumps. Set aside. Next, lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the diced apple, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Sauté for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender. Add a splash of water if the pan gets dry. Let cool. For the optional drizzle, mix the powdered peanut butter and water until smooth. Add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a drizzle consistency. Finally, divide the chia pudding among 4 jars or bowls. Top with the sautéed apples and peanut butter drizzle, if using. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week. Enjoy! #highproteinbreakfast #highfiber #fibermaxxing

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@kalejunkie CRISPY WILD RICE KALE CHICKEN SALAD with Creamy Maple Cider Vinaigrette 😏 Two words for this salad: LIFE CHANGING. Yes, a salad can be life changing and this one is IT. If you’ve made any of my viral crispy rice salads, you KNOW they slap. And this one? Think autumn vibes using wild rice instead of white (though that works too) and all the fall flavors in the base. It’s protein packed, fiber packed, and fantastic for meal prep too. Oh and it uses my fav time saving hack: rotisserie chicken. Hope I sold you 😏 go make it. ⁣
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Makes 6 servings⁣
Salad⁣
2 cups cooked & cooled wild rice blend (to save time, I buy this frozen and defrost in microwave)⁣
2 tsp olive oil ⁣
1 1/2 cups white meat rotisserie chicken, chopped⁣
1 bunch curly kale, stems removed, very finely chopped, the finer the better!⁣
1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced ⁣
1/2 small red onion, finely diced ⁣
1/2 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped⁣
3/4 cup pomegranate arils⁣
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Maple Cider Vinaigrette⁣
1/2 cup avocado oil (I like @mariannesharvest)⁣
2 tb maple syrup⁣
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar⁣
1 tb Dijon mustard⁣
1 large shallot⁣
2 cloves garlic⁣
1/2 tsp kosher salt⁣
1/4 tsp ground black pepper⁣
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Preheat oven to 400F. Spread cooked rice onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and a pinch of s&p. Toss to coat well and spread in an even layer. Bake for 40 minutes-ISH, tossing at the halfway point, until the rice is golden and crunchy. Just watch it so it doesn’t burn :) While the rice is in the oven, make the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a small blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed, and set aside. Finally, build your salad. In a large bowl, add the kale, chicken, apple, red onion, pecans, pomegranate and crispy rice. Pour dressing on top and toss to coat well. Serve and enjoy!⁣
#crispyricesalad #fallsalads

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@kalejunkie upper body workout, dumbbells only 💪 I know I usually share food and recipes around here, but one of the things I get asked about most is my workout routine. So here’s one of my favorite upper body workouts from my trainer @laura.greene that I can do anywhere, even on vacation. No fancy equipment, no machines. Just a set of dumbbells and some good music. Try this and end with a 30 minute incline walk!⁣
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Save this one for your next upper body day and follow me @kalejunkie for recipe ideas that support your fitness goals!⁣
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3x15:⁣
Single arm dumbbell rows (supported with bench)⁣
Lateral raises⁣
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3x15:⁣
Standing (or seated) dumbbell strict press⁣
Hammer curls

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@kalejunkie NEW! 🍎 Apple Cider Braised Chuck Roast with Roasted Potatoes, the latest and greatest in my viral chuck roast collection! This takes less than 10 minutes of prep time and your oven does the rest. The result is so much tender, juicy meat (and tender potatoes!) to enjoy all week long in so many different ways! It’s the perfect cozy dinner with all the fall vibes and flavors.

Be sure to SAVE this post, SHARE with friends, and FOLLOW me @kalejunkie for more easy, protein forward recipes!

Makes 12 servings
3 ½-4 lbs chuck roast
1 cup apple cider (not apple juice)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tb maple syrup
2 tb Worcestershire sauce
1 tb dijon mustard
1 tsp ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered

Preheat oven to 325F, then make the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Pat dry the chuck roast and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place it in a dutch oven. Pour the marinade on top and flip the meat a few times to coat it well. Cover and place in the oven for 4ish hours (exact timing depends on the thickness of your chuck roast, trust the process 😏!). Pull it out at the 3 1/2 hour mark and carefully nestle the potatoes around the chuck roast, submerging in the liquid. Cover and return to the oven for 30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the lid. Let the steam go and remove the rosemary sprigs. Shred the meat using two forks. It should pull apart easily and the potatoes should be fork tender. Now, if you want to brown the meat and potato edges for crispier bits, place the pot back in the oven under the broiler (uncovered) on high for 3-4 minutes. Spoon the rich apple cider cooking juices over everything and serve!! #chuckroast #appleciderchuckroast

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Some friendships just pick up right where the wine left off cc @cheesegal 👯

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Comment LINK and I will DM you 🔗 to my top 8 high protein, crave worthy chicken salads that blow everything else out of the water (and support your fitness goals). Because you shouldn’t have to settle for a sad desk lunch, okay? 😘 #mealprep #chickensaladrecipes

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And that’s the THAT on THAT!! 🙅🏻‍♀️ Comment SHOP for outfit deets! My gorgeous bag was sourced from sweet Kelly over at @kellyannluxury. She can source your dream bag and she’s a local woman owned business.

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@kalejunkie SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOLOGNESE BOWLS 🙆🏻‍♀️ This recipe is high protein, low carb, gluten free and fiber rich too! I use lean ground beef, but this would also be fantastic with ground chicken or turkey. The best part is that you can use store-bought bolognese, making this even easier to throw together.⁣

Comment LINK for everything I used in this video!
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Makes 4 servings⁣
2 spaghetti squash, halved⁣
2 tb olive oil⁣
1 yellow onion, diced⁣
4 cloves garlic, minced⁣
1 pound lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey⁣
1 tb Italian seasoning⁣
1/2 tsp-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes⁣
1 24oz jar marinara sauce of choice (@getsauz or @raoshomemade are my choices)⁣
Salt & pepper to taste⁣
Garnishes: freshly grated parmesan cheese, chopped basil⁣
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Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and stand them up on a small (quarter size) baking sheet or in a baking dish. If they don’t stand up, that’s OK, just lay them on their side or cut a tiny piece off the bottom, so they stand up. Brush the tops generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 55 minutes then remove from the oven to cool. While the squash is in the oven, prepare the meat sauce filling. Add olive oil to a pan/pot over medium heat, and once hot, add the diced onions and sauté for about 5-6 minutes until the onions start to cook down, then add the garlic, followed by the ground beef, italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt. Mash the meat into tiny pieces until the meat is cooked through, then add the jar of marinara sauce, stirring until the meat is coated in the sauce. Turn heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat. Next, use a fork to separate the spaghetti squash (as shown) and then fill each bowl with meat sauce. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped basil, and enjoy!⁣
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#spaghettisquash #spaghettisquashbowls #girldinner #weeknightdinner #lowcarbmeals⁣

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I’ve been working out for over 25 years, but once I started training with INTENTION and having some serious goals, I had to unlearn so many things! If you are on the same journey, let me be proof that each of these points do, in fact, work. Less is more, consistency > perfection, rest is crucial and perhaps the most important of them all, and fuel properly before and after your workouts so you can build muscle and feel strong! I am one of those people that like a little natural energy boost during my workout! @drinknello Energy drinks are exclusively at Target and they are AMAZING. No jitters. No crash. 150mg of natural caffeine paired with amino acids and B vitamins for steady, better-for-you energy. Go get em!! #nellopartner

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For more tutorials like this, follow me @kalejunkie ☺️ This is how to make PERFECT CARAMELIZED SWEET POTATOES every single time. Sweet pots are my most fav carb source and I eat them several times a week and this is now the only way I make them. This method produces a soft center with a crispy bottom and edges!⁣
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Instructions: preheat oven to 375F. Cut your sweet potatoes in half and place them in a bowl. Toss with olive oil (1-2 tb), paprika, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Be sure to coat them well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the sweet potatoes flesh side down. Bake for exactly one hour. Remove from oven but DO NOT TOUCH for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to lift and enjoy!⁣
#sweetpotatoes #foodtutorials #viralsweetpotatoes

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buckle up, it’s almost my time to really shine! 😝🦂 #scorpio #scorpioszn

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