Say hello to my little friend....the wonderful world of Kale.

We've all heard the hype surrounding kale.  This once little known vegetable has gained popularity over the past few years as a wonder food of sorts.  Packed with fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and anti-oxidants - our little green friend is now used in everything from smoothies to chips. Check out this link to find out more about the health benefits of kale (http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top-10-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Kale.html).

While kale is a quite lovely little plant, many people fear it.  Will it taste like cardboard?  Won't it be stuck in my teeth all day?  These are valid concerns.  However, I have come up with a recipe that actually takes advantage of kale's unique characteristics and....wait for it....tastes amazing!  Ready??  Here we go!

Warm Kale and Quinoa salad

For the salad:

6 large kale leaves

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

handful of dried cherries

For the dressing:

1/4  cup orange juice

2 tablespoons high quality olive oil

2 cloves of garlic - minced or pressed

a dribble of basalmic vinegar

To assemble -

Mix all the dressing components together and set aside.

Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package.

While quinoa is cooking - remove the rib from the kale and slice it thinly.  Place it in a bowl.

You can be toasting the almonds now also.

Dump the warm quinoa onto the kale.  Toss in the toasted almonds and dried cherries.

Pour the dressing over and mix well.

Eat while still warm.

Enjoy!  And please let me know if you like this recipe.  Comments are welcome!