This past weekend I whipped up a lunch menu to feature three of my now-favorite leafy greens: collard, kale, and dandelion…oh my! These greens aren’t all too popular here in New York City, perhaps because they don’t seem easy to work with and can be quite hard to find (canvas your neighborhood markets or just get them delivered via Urban Organic, like me!). But with a greater awareness of making every bite count, they are sure to rise to the top of produce shopping lists both downtown and up.
Roasted Kale
Ever a sucker for good pitches, 
I came across a Roasted Kale recipe by Stephanie Gallagher that promises to be “one of the tastiest kale recipes you’ll ever find” and I was sold. Once coated in extra-virgin olive oil and happy in the oven, the kale shrinks and shrivels and becomes thin and crunchy and totally yummy. Add a little sprinkle of good-quality coarse salt and toss a handful in your mouth like popcorn. It was an unexpected hit as a starter for my greens trifecta lunch—just ask the boys' east coast grandparents and fabulous aunt, who were all a bit surprised that they actually liked it. I'm going to keep this recipe handy for when the twins get older because I could see it being a terrific snack for kids.
Also, if you’re not up for roasting kale, visit my Brunch 101 entry and try out the Kale Pesto that can be used as a base for my kale pesto dip!
Dandelion Greens and Strawberry Salad 
What the heck are dandelion greens anyway? You’re not the only one to wonder! My husband, Steve, was frightened by the spear-like green and swore that he wouldn’t eat them, no matter how nutrient-packed. In the end, he really loved the salad that I made with dandelion and strawberries, but that wasn’t the original recipe plan.
The original dandelion greens salad recipe that I tried turned out to be a disappointment in the flavor department; it was too bitter, as dandelions can sometimes be. I put the salad aside to think about what I could do to save it, and suddenly it dawned on me: the salad needed a bit of sweetness…and I had received a basket of strawberries in my organic produce box!!
For curiosity sake, I did a quick search online to see if dandelion and strawberries were a tried and true flavor combination and it turns out that they are. So, here’s a recipe using the original dandelion greens salad as a base, along with the strawberries and some salty feta cheese from the second recipe. The strawberries and feta made for a dramatic dish makeover and really saved the day...er, dish.
Dandelion and Strawberry Salad
1 large bunch dandelion greens, washed and ends trimmed off
3 green onions, chopped
3 teaspoons fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried (I used my grandmother’s homemade dried dill)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 small basket strawberries, sliced (approximately 1/2 pound)
Crumbled feta cheese—as much as you see fit
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Collard Greens with Brown Rice
Here’s a tip on making sure that you “eat yer greens”: mix them in with something else! I decided to cook my collard greens with brown rice—in the same pot—using a collards and rice recipe that I made extra special by using the Brown Rice Medley from Trader Joe’s instead of regular long-grain rice. The TJ's mix has long-grain brown rice, black barley, and daikon radish seeds that add flavor and give the dish some added color, too (the radish seeds don't show up well in the photo, but they're little red pearls in person). I served my collards and rice with jumbo shrimp (also from Trader Joe’s) that I sautéed in a LITTLE butter with garlic and white wine, and parsley for some coordinating green.
So, what do you think? Are you going to give these leafy guys a shot? It might not be easy being greens, but they sure can taste good!
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