RECIPE: Hearty Greens with Tomatoes and Curry

Ingredients:

At least two big bunches of hearty greens, shredded like slaw

2-4 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil, or other oil of your choice

1 onion, diced

Big can of tomatoes, diced, or however you like

2 Tablespoons Curry

If you don’t have pre-made, you can make your own using cumin, coriander, tumeric, mustard seeds and maybe even a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Be bold! Curry is an art, not a science.

Heat the butter in a pan on medium-high heat.  When it’s foaming, add the diced onion. Sprinkle with salt and stir often till the onions are sweated and turning slightly brown.

Add the hearty greens and the curry.  Cook till fragrant, about two minutes.

Add the can of tomatoes and bring to boil.

Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.  (In an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.)

Serve with meat and/or over rice, or eat in a bowl while it’s still warm.  Delicious!

RECIPE: Last-Minute Cooked Hearty Greens with Butter and Lemon

Ingredients:

1 bunch Kale, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard, or any other hearty green

2-4 Tbsp butter, or fat of your choice

Juice of 1 or 2 lemons

To prepare the greens:

Remove the spine from each leaf;

Cut into thin strips;

If using the spines, chop them into small pieces and cook them first before adding the leaves as they take longer to cook.

Heat the butter in a large pan or pot over medium-high heat.  

Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add the greens.  

Cook the greens, stirring, for a few minutes to coat in fat and start them wilting.  Then add 2 Tablespoons of water and put a lid on the pan so the greens steam and cook down.  Cook at a lower heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring and checking on it once or twice. You decide if you want chewier kale (shorter cooking time), or falling-apart, tender kale (longer time at a much lower temperature, probably adding more water as it cooks).

When the kale is cooked to your desired tenderness, remove from pan leaving juices behind.  Coat in lemon juice and taste. Add salt and pepper if desired.

RECIPE: Kale Chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Two recipe notes:

- The leaves shrink in the oven, so cut the kale larger than you want the resulting chips.

- Because they shrink, flavoring goes a long way.  I always over-salt the first time I make each season even though I know this!

Remove spines from the kale and cut leaves in half or quarters.  

Transfer kale to a baking tray and coat the leaves with a small amount of olive oil and salt; mix well.

Place into a 350 oven and don’t walk away, these go quickly.  Stir them after five minutes in the oven and see how much they’ve cooked.  They may need up to 10 - 15 minutes depending on their size, the amount of olive oil, etc, but keep a close eye as they cook.

Enjoy!

RECIPE: Fast and Easy! Fresh Lemon, Olive Oil and Kale Salad

Ingredients:

Shredded kale, cut once lengthwise and then into thin strips like a slaw

Kosher Salt

Olive Oil, the best you have

1-2 Lemons

Transfer the kale strips to a bowl and sprinkle a pinch or two of kosher salt.  Using your hands, massage, twist, and beat the kale and salt together till the kale starts to sweat and wilt.  This step makes the kale easier to eat and brings out a nicer flavor for the dish.

Pour a thin coat of olive oil and the juice of one lemon and mix thoroughly.  

Taste, and add more olive oil or lemon juice.  

VARIATIONS:

Garlic: add gently cooked or raw garlic to the salad according to your taste.

RECIPE: Kale and Orzo Pilaf

This is a great little dish to make with any sturdy green, think collards, kale, chard or even spinach or romaine.

It is a great side to anything and you can always add other vegetables as well. Think asparagus, peas, mushrooms or anything you would like to saute and can keep its shape. Use it as a side, or add leftover roast chicken, roast pork or even salmon and have it for lunch the next day. It is equally good at room temperature.

Ingredients:

- Bunch of kale, or other leafy greens

- ¼ cup orzo, I recommend Rummo as the brand which is very tasty

- 1 tbs olive oil or butter

- 2 tsp “better than bullion” chicken stock, or 1-2 bullion cubes. (you can also use normal chicken stock about 2-3 cups.  OPTIONAL: (1 tsp “better than bouillon” mushroom stock)

- Any other vegetables you would like to add

- 1 tsp garlic powder

- Salt and pepper to taste

- ½ lemon (optional)

Equipment needed

- A deep non-stick skillet such as a cast iron or normal non-stick

Start by chopping the greens in i inch thick pieces. Add the greens to the pan and add 1-2 cups water or stock, if using cubes use ¾ of what you are going to use. Put the heat to medium high. Add garlic powder, some salt and pepper

Cook until greens uncovered for about 15-20 minutes.  There should still be some stock in the pan. Add another 1.5  cups stock and add the orzo.

Put the heat to medium low and cook until the orzo is cooked, add more stock or water if needed (i.e. the orzo is not cooked and there is no more water).

Add whatever other vegetables you want to add at the end.

TIP: The 6 Biggest Salad Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them

Salads are supposed to be light, bright, and full of life—but too often, they hit the table flat, limp, and soggy, with all the good stuff sunk at the bottom of the bowl. There are a number of reasons this happens, and now that spring is upon us, we want our readers to enjoy the crunchiest, most satisfying salads ever. So we asked assistant food editor Claire Saffitz and test kitchen contributor Alfia Muzio to identify the most common mistakes people make when tossing up a salad. (And, honestly, this writer learned a thing or two about salad-making.) Here's their awesome advice, below:

1. Go with What You Know

There's a whole world of greens outside of arugula, mesclun, kale, and romaine. Browse your farmers' market or grocery aisle to find seasonal leafy greens for your salad base, like mâche, dandelion greens, microgreens, baby kale, chicory, and escarole. You'll be amazed how much flavor and texture they'll add. And, dear God, please stay away from iceberg (unless you're making a wedge).

2. Just Wash n' Toss

A soggy salad is a sad sight—so dry those greens! We're big proponents of the salad spinner—one of the few single-purpose kitchen items that are absolutely worth it—but if you don't have one, try this trick: Line a plastic shopping bag with paper towels, throw in your greens, and knot the bag. Then take the bag by the handle and give it a couple good, hard spins in the air. Your greens should come out (mostly) dry. You may proceed.

3. All Greens Need Is Dressing

Nope! Once they're in the bowl, you need to give your greens some undergarments before they get dressed. After you've dried them, season your naked greens with salt and pepper. (This is, incidentally, Bobby Flay's approach, too.) Think of it as another opportunity for flavor—then you won't have to over-season your dressing to compensate. Speaking of seasoning your dressing: Mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil alone do not a dressing make. Like every layer of your salad, it's important to season your dressing to taste.

4. Any Dressing Will Work

There's a lot to consider when it comes to dressing your greens. First, and most important, you need to ask yourself: Did I match my greens to my dressing? Delicate arugula won't hold up to bold, creamy Caesar dressing. Kale overpowers a light balsamic vinaigrette. Like wines, match the bold with the bold, and the light with the light. Second, try to strike the perfect balance of dressing and salad. Overdressing your salad makes it a soggy mess, while underdressing will leave something to be desired. Add dressing little by little—tasting as you go—to make sure you get the perfect amount.

5. Where Are Those Salad Tongs?

The best tool you can use for mixing salad is: Your hands. Bear with us, here: A salad should be light and airy—even if it's made with hearty greens and a creamy dressing—and handled with a gentle touch. Using your hands to toss allows air to get into your mix and incorporates your ingredients in a more distributed way. Here's our preferred way: Drizzle your dressing along the walls of your bowl, then lightly toss your greens until the dressing is evenly distributed. No bruised or crushed leaves here!

6. Toss It All Together!

Sometimes, it's best to leave some ingredients out until the last minute. We like adding in some of the heavy ingredients for the toss—like nuts, seeds, tomatoes, peas, and other bulky add-ins that sink to the bottom—then topping the salad with the rest post-toss. Your guests will get to see everything that's in the salad, and it's easier to get a little bit of everything when there's stuff on top. Also, toss your greens in dressing before adding herbs: their delicate flavor will shine through much more when they're the outermost layer.

TIP: How to Dress Any Salad Green

Anyone can make a decent salad, but it takes some skill and know-how to create a masterpiece in green. It's important, first, to brush up on the basics: Are you sufficiently drying your greens? Are your toppers crushing the delicate leaves? Once you've finished your refresher course, though, there's one big, often-overlooked piece of advice you've got to remember: You've got to pair the right dressing with the right greens.

Think this isn't a big deal? Think again. Just imagine tender spring mix leaves doused with creamy-crumbly blue cheese. They'd be smothered beyond recognition! And what about arugula with a peppercorn-heavy vinaigrette? Your salad would be tragically spicy. This is important stuff, so we called in the pros: Senior food editor Dawn Perry and assistant food editor Claire Saffitz in the Bon Appétit test kitchen gave us the rundown on what dressing is a perfect match for just about every salad your heart could desire.

Arugula

Peppery arugula leaves are best when tempered with a little sweetness—try adding honey or maple to your vinaigrette. And keep in mind that arugula wilts quickly and aggressively, so avoid heavy dressings (skip the cream and Dijon mustard), and use a light hand when tossing everything together. Your best bet for a dressing? Simple salt, pepper, vinegar or lemon juice, and olive oil with just a touch of honey.

Tender Head Lettuce (bibb, red leaf, green leaf, little gem, etc.)

Similar to arugula in texture and tenderness, tender head lettuces also requires a featherlight touch. Unlike arugula, though, the leaves aren't bitter, and don't need any additional sweetness. Just salt, pepper, vinegar/lemon, and olive oil are sufficient.

Endive

Endive's intensely bitter, and it's also hefty, with thick leaves. If there was ever an opportunity to embrace sweetness and fat in a dressing, this is it: Endive can seriously hold its own against a creamy blue cheese dressing.

Frisée

Also bitter, but much rougher and frillier than endive, this chicory is screaming for both fat and salt. A warm bacon vinaigrette is the classic choice—and one we particularly like. Emulsifying your dressing with an egg yolk (or just breaking a poached egg on top of the greens) wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, either.

Grains (farro, wheat berries, barley, etc.)

Grain salads need a good dressing just as much as your favorite garden salad. These chewy, filling dishes can stand up to creamier dressings that make good use of buttermilk, tahini, or mild, soft cheese. "Basically, anything goes here except ranch," says Perry. The aggressive, peppery flavor of ranch will mask the unique flavor of the grains. Be liberal with your use of herbs, and dress the grains just after cooking, while they're still warm—the dressing will be absorbed and incorporated better.

Iceberg

Iceberg has great crunch but not a ton of flavor, so it's up to your dressing to make things sing. We say yes to the classic blue cheese-and-bacon wedge salad, but would definitely not be mad if you whip up an ugly-but-crazy-tasty caramelized-onion dressing. To make a caramelized-onion dressing, think dip (sour cream, a little mayonnaise, some lemon for acidity, caramelized onions with fresh scallion or chive), and thin it with water until it's pourable. Ranch is A-OK, too, and in fact, the only time we advocate not using a creamy dressing with iceberg is when it's chopped up finely and dressed Italian pizza joint-style, with plenty of oregano and peperoncini.

Kale

Kale's hefty. It's important to slice it thinly so you don't suffer from jaw fatigue before the salad's half-eaten. Incorporating a good amount of acid to your dressing—think plenty of lemon juice—will further break down the cellular structure of the leaves, making them easier to eat and digest. Don't drown the greens, though; nobody likes a soggy salad. Here's more on how to make the perfect kale salad.

Radicchio

This chicory is bitter, like endive, but a little more tender. It can handle a dressing with Dijon or an egg yolk, but fares best without a heavy dumping of cream or mayonnaise. Don't forget the sweetener.

Romaine

"The world is your oyster with Romaine," says Perry. It's crunchy like iceberg, so creamy dressings are a go, but it also fares nicely with a simple vinaigrette. Feel free to experiment.

Spinach

Be wary of the wilt with spinach salads—these leaves succumb to very acidic and creamy dressings quickly. Sturdy, mature leaves can handle a little creaminess or heat (again, we're fans of that warm bacon dressing), but baby spinach needs no more than olive oil, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

Spring/Summer Mix

These tender leaves are pillow-soft. Keep things simple with the most basic vinaigrette possible, letting the sweetness of the lettuce shine through.

Swiss Chard

Chard is thin but tough. To help tenderize the leaves, tear them into bite-size pieces and dress them with something sweet and acidic, like this tomato vinaigrette. Its flavor runs toward earthy (especially the stems), so think light and bright when dressing.

Watercress

Watercress looks delicate but its flavor is bossy—peppery and fresh, with some bite. Embrace fat, sweetness, and a medium-level creaminess (hello, buttermilk).

RECIPE: Kale, Butternut Squash and Walnut Pasta

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
2 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz. pappardelle (or other pasta)
12 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup walnuts, toasted and lightly crushed
3 cups baby kale

1. Heat oven to 425°. Toss squash with oil, salt and pepper.  Spread out in a single layer on a baking tray and bake 25 minutes until tender.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta until al dente.  Drain, rinse, and set aside.
3.  Heat butter in a 12” skillet over medium heat; cook until milky foam settles at the bottom of the skillet and turns nut brown. 

4.  Toss in pasta, squash, and walnuts; add baby kale and toss until just wilted. 

5.  Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

RECIPE: COLD SESAME NOODLES WITH BROCCOLI AND KALE

Instead of deep-frying the broccoli in this sesame noodles recipe, we used a high-heat roasting method.

4 servings

INGREDIENTS

·                                 1 large head of broccoli, cut into large florets with some stalk attached

·                                 2 garlic cloves, 1 finely grated, 1 thinly sliced, divided

·                                 1 1/2 teaspoons sambal oelek

·                                 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, divided

·                                 3/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

·                                 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

·                                 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

·                                 3 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced, plus more for serving

·                                 1 (3-inch) piece ginger, peeled, cut into 1-inch matchsticks

·                                 4 cups chopped Tuscan kale leaves

·                                 2 (10-ounce) packages fresh ramen noodles or 2 (3-ounce) packages dried

·                                 Torn mint leaves and toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

PREPARATION

1.                                                      Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss broccoli with grated garlic, sambal oelek, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, and 1/4 cup oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 20–25 minutes.

2.                                                      Meanwhile, whisk scallions, ginger, sliced garlic, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and remaining 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup oil in a large bowl. Add kale; toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

3.                                                      Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse under cold water. Add noodles and warm broccoli to kale and toss to coat. Divide among bowls and top with mint, sesame seeds, and more scallions.

Green Juice

Green juice

1 medium bunch of dark green vegetables – Kale, Chard, Collards, Leaf Lettuce or combination

6-8 ribs of Celery

2 large Cucumbers

½ bulb of Fennel

1-2 Green Apples, depending on preference of sweetness

½ bunch Italian Parsley

1 inch piece of Ginger, skin on scrubbed

1 small lemon, skin peeled with as much pith left on as possible

1 lime, skin peeled with as much pith left on as possible

1.      Fill sink, rinse vegetables thoroughly and soak until ready to juice.

2.      Roll parsley into dark green vegetables and juice first, followed by celery and fennel. If you do not have any more room in juicer at this point, pour into container and remove pulp from juicer. Set pulp aside.

3.      Juice cucumbers, apples, lemon, lime and ginger. Pour into container to combine.

Alternate:

Use tops of vegetables such as carrots, beats, and radishes. Note that these greens may make the juice very bitter, however, this can often be balanced out with more apple or lemon juice.

Add ½ bunch of mint when juicing the parsley. Remove tough stems.

Substitute or combine apples with pineapple or peeled kiwis for a tangier version.

NOTE:

Makes approximately 6-8 cups of green juice. The vitamins and chlorophyll in green juice begins to degrade only 15 minutes after it is juiced, unless you have a cold-press juicer. I find it hard to juice every day, however, so I have found that freezing it in mason jars immediately is a good way to store green juice for a few days. However, even in the freezer, green juice will not last for more than about a week before degrading in quality.

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Kale x 3

Artichoke, Kale & Ricotta Pie

serves 4 to 6

Olive oil
4 eggs, beaten
8 ounces ricotta cheese
4 ounces Parmesan, grated
1 cup canned artichokes, chopped
1 bunch (3 to 4 large stalks) nero cavola kale, rib removed and leaves roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan lightly with olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan. Roughly chop the artichokes and thinly slice the kale leaves and add to the cheese and egg mixture. Season lightly with salt and generously with black pepper Stir until combined.

Pour contents of bowl into the greased cake pan and drizzle with olive oil. Cook until custard is set, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire wrack for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.

 

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Kale Salad with Apricots, Avocado, and Parmesan

Serves one

6-8 ounces of kale (Tuscan or dino kale are particularly fantastic)
6-8 dried apricots
1/3 or so cup cooked beans (I love Good Mother Stallard beans, but also try cannellini or pinto beans)
1/4 or so cup almonds
8-10 flakes of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 avocado
salt and pepper

Fold a piece of kale in half lengthwise and use your fingers to tear out the tough inner stem. Repeat with the other leaves of kale (you can save the stems to use in stir-fries, sauces, or soups). Tear all the leaves into bite-sized pieces and put them in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Cut the apricots into little bits and add them to the bowl with the kale, along with the beans, the almonds, and the cheese. Whisk together the oil and vinegar (or shake it in a small canning jar). Pour the vinaigrette and a healthy pinch of salt over the salad and use your fingers to toss and rub everything together. Transfer the salad to a bowl or a lunch container (if eating later).

Just before eating, slice the avocado into cubes and spoon them over the salad. This salad will keep for about 24 hours, preferably refrigerated.

*******************

Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing

serves 6 to 8

2 large bunches curly or lacinato kale, about 2 pounds
2 red bell peppers, cleaned and cut into fine strips
1 large carrot, peeled
3/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts, divided
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Fold each leaf of kale in half lengthwise and slice out the center rib. Discard ribs. Roll a stack of the leaves up and slice in half lengthwise, then crosswise into very fine ribbons. You will have 10 to 12 cups of finely chopped kale in the end. Wash and rinse thoroughly in a salad spinner.

Toss the kale with the sliced bell peppers. Slice the carrot very thin, either by creating curls with a peeler, or by running the halved carrot lengthwise down a mandoline. Toss with the kale, red pepper, and 1/2 cup of the peanuts.

In a chopper or small food processor, briefly puree the remaining 1/4 cup peanuts, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper flakes. Pulse it just a few times; the peanuts should be partially pureed, but with some nibs and nubs still left in the dressing. (The texture difference between the whole peanuts, ground peanuts, and pureed peanuts in the sauce is one of the things that makes this slaw so wonderful.)

Toss the dressing with the slaw and let it sit for at least a few minutes before serving.

Kale Pesto

• 1 small bunch Tuscan/lacinato kale
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts
• handful fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• juice of one lemon
• 3 Tbsp. water
• sea salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• For the kale pesto, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tough stems from the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Blanch the kale leaves for about 30 seconds, transfer to a strainer and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Once the kale is cool, squeeze out the excess moisture. This should yield about 1 1/2 cups blanched kale.
  In a food processor, combine the garlic, walnuts and pulse to chop. Add the kale, basil, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, water, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Turn the processor on and drizzle in the olive oil until you get the consistency you like. Thin with a bit more lemon juice and a splash of water for a more dressing-like consistency. Taste and adjust as needed.

Lentil, Kale & Quinoa Stew (Vegan)

he Brazilian recipe explains a way to cut the collards that makes it so so so much easier!

Lentil, Kale & Quinoa Stew (Vegan)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 yellow onion
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup dry quinoa
5 cups water
26.5 oz box of chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed

Directions:

Melt the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until tender, about 8 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and sauté another minute, just until fragrant. Add in the cumin, ginger, turmeric, salt, lentils, quinoa, water, and tomatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot to let everything simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

Super Easy Kale Salad

Super Easy Kale Salad

1 bunch of kale

1 lemon

1 tbsp honey

1-2 tsp olive oil (optional)

One type of nut of your choice (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, etc)

One type of berry of your choice (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc.) 

Remove spine of kale and break into bite size pieces. Squeeze lemon over kale. Add honey (I add honey until there is a good balance of sweet and sour but I start with 1 tbsp.). Massage kale with your hands, making sure each leaf has softened and is covered with lemon and honey. Add nuts and berries—in the amount that works for you--at the end.

Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad

Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad

• 2 cups sliced almonds
• ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice(from 2 to 4 lemons)
•  Kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed with the flat side of a knife, peeled and left whole
• 10 to 12 ounces washed and dried kale leaves, thick stems removed (weight after trimming)
• 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan(optional)
1. In a toaster oven or skillet, toast almonds until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 heaping teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add garlic cloves and set aside to steep.
3. Working in batches, cut the kale into thin ribbons: gather a large handful of leaves, bunch together tightly, and use the other hand to slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. This need not be done very precisely or neatly; the idea is to end up with a kind of slaw. (Recipe can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Keep kale and dressing refrigerated separately.)
4. Place chopped kale in a very large bowl. Sprinkle surface with almonds and then with cheese, if using. Remove and discard garlic cloves from dressing. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed, tossing to coat thoroughly. Serve within 1 hour.

KALE, TOASTED ALMOND, AND PARMESAN SALAD

KALE, TOASTED ALMOND, AND PARMESAN SALAD

Ingredients

·        100g kale

·        100g broccoli

·        1 shallot, finely chopped

·        40g grated parmesan

·        50g toasted flaked almonds

·         

For the dressing

·        60ml (4 TBSP) extra virgin olive oil

·        2 tbsp white wine vinegar

·        2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon, depending on size)

·        1 tsp maple syrup

·         

Instructions

1.      Remove any large stalks from the kale and thinly slice the leaves. I find the easiest way to do this is to bunch them together in one hand and then chop in a similar way to fresh herbs.

2.      Add the broccoli to a food processor and whiz for a few seconds until you have small rice-like chunks. Alternatively, finely chop the broccoli.

3.      In a large bowl, toss the kale, broccoli, shallot and parmesan together. If serving immediately, also add the flaked almonds.

4.      Whisk together (or shake in a jar) the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. Add the almonds just before serving.

Notes

This salad can be prepared and dressed ahead of time. Just leave out the flaked almonds until serving so they don't lose their crunch.

If you can't find toasted flaked almonds, you can toast your own: spread flaked almonds out on a baking tray and put in the oven at 180c. Keep an eye on them - they should only take 3-4 minutes. Store any extra in an airtight container.

KALE TIPS

Kale is included again and again on lists of super foods, and for good reason: It's a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamin C, vitamin E (an antioxidant), calcium, and even a few cancer-fighting compounds.

To store, keep kale refrigerated in an airtight bag. It can typically be stored for up to 5 days, but you may notice the flavor increase in bitterness with longer storage. Only wash the kale when you are ready to use it as washing before storage will promote spoilage.

How to Fit Kale Into Your Diet:

-Steam kale with your favorite vegetables

-Prepare a raw kale salad
-Blend kale and add to your favorite green smoothies
-Bake kale for a healthy snack

Other cooking tips with kale:

-Be sure to wash leaves well as soil sticks in the nooks  & crannies on the leaves            

-Cut out the tough mid-rib
-Chopped kale leaves take about 7-10 min to steam & slightly longer to sauté                  
-Toss steamed kale with sautéed garlic & tamari.
-Add sautéed kale to mashed potatoes, omelets, quiches, & casseroles.