Garlicky Leafy Greens
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Most people I know are intimidated by dark leafy greens. They buy them because they should, yet the greens always seem to end up either in a vase as a bouquet or permanently exiled to the hinterlands of the fridge. Here’s a better solution. Sauté your greens in olive oil and garlic. Toss in some cherry tomatoes for color, or caramelized onions and a few raisins for sweetness. My friend said her 4-year old ate these greens and said they tasted like candy. Now that’s a kid with a bright future!
2 bunches tender Kale, Swiss chard or Spinach (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red chili pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Shaving of fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Remove all heavy stems from greens, chop into bite size pieces, and place in a cold water bath, set aside.
In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add garlic and red chili pepper flakes, sauté for 30 seconds, just until aromatic. Add the greens from the bowl and salt, sauté until their color begins to darken and intensify.
Add the nutmeg, lemon zest and taste the greens.
VARIATION: Add a handful of cherry tomatoes or chopped bell pepper for extra color and yum!
Photo Credit: Jeffrey G. Katz
Reprinted with permission from One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Patients and Their Friends Copyright © 2008 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.