I originally intended to make this with chestnuts. I had purchased some beauties and steamed them, but unfortunately could not get the shells off. If anyone has any tips on how to remove the shell from chestnuts, I would really appreciate it if you shared!

Fortunately, I really love the taste of the kale, hazelnuts and cranberries together, so although the chestnut thing didn’t work out, I think this recipe did!

Did you know that kale is one of the healthiest cruciferous vegetables around! It actually reaches maximum nutritional value by steaming it for 5 minutes and is rich in vitamins K, A and C, as well as manganese and fiber.

I often eat this as a side vegetable, but you can also serve it as a warm salad with quinoa and dressing.

kale with hazelnuts and dried cranberries
3 cups kale, washed and thick stem removed

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup dried organic, dried cranberries

1/4 cup whole hazelnuts

zest of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp coconut oil

salt and peppeer to taste

• stack the kale one on top of the other, and with a sharp knife, cut into strips
• to a large frying pan, add 2 tbsp of water and heat till simmering
• add the kale strips to the pan and add a large lid to steam until the water evaporates and the kale is tender
• when all the water is evaporated, add the coconut oil
• turn the heat down to medium
• when the oil is melted, add the onion, cranberries and hazelnuts
• mix well to incorporate everything and continue to cook until the onion is soft
• add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is soft
• season with salt and pepper to your taste

Serve as a side vegetable, or add to 1 cup cooked quinoa and add dressing.

warm kale, hazelnut, cranberry and quinoa salad
kale with hazelnuts and dried cranberries (see recipe above)

1 cup cooked quinoa (cook a/p package instructions, make sure you rinse the quinoa before cooking or it will be bitter)

dressing
2 tbsp olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

• add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk until everything is well combined
• to a large bowl, add the cooked kale mixture, warm quinoa and dressing and toss gently to combine
• divide into bowls to serve

Serve warm.