Birthday Bouquet of Greens

By Lori Powell

Another B’day is right around the corner and an early gift has arrived on my doorstep. A bouquet of greens!

They’re especially great when fresh-picked at a farm stand or from your neighbor’s garden, but to present them this way as a gorgeous bouquet of healthy greens to celebrate my birthday is just perfection. So lovely that I could have put them in a vase and placed them on my table.

So gorgeous…how could I even think of cooking them? Well at least for a day or two.

I quickly came to my senses as I can’t get enough of kale – raw, cooked or in a smoothie. It was love at first bite.

Below is one of my favorite ways to serve them…oh and they are amazingly good for you. Go figure. So below, my happy b’day kale recipe.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

Rubbed Kale with Sea Salt and Lemon
Serves 1

1/2 small bunch lacinato or dinosaur or cavalo nero kale, ribs removed and leaves sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 to 2 tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese

1. In a serving bowl, massage kale with lemon juice and sea salt until kale softens and begins to wilt.
2. Toss kale with olive oil, pepper, garlic and grated and shaved Parmesan cheese.

Variation: add sliced almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, tamari or dried fruit to change up the flavor a bit.

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