[Food Series] Wilted Kale, Mandarin and Walnuts

My love affair with kale started a decade ago on a trip to a dusty, u-pick organic farm with a bunch of friends and I haven’t looked back since. As you can imagine, 10 years of going steady with a leafy green begs for reinvention, excitement and an injection of spontaneity! I absolutely love cooking compositions, meals made up in the spur of the moment, improvised from ingredients that are staring you in the face saying, “Pick me! Pick me!” And that is how this nutritious and mouth-watering dish came to be.

I love it mostly because of its versatility and simplicity. It’s a light lunch, a side dish or, toss in some protein and a handful of steamed lentils and it’s a hearty, well-rounded family dinner.

Ingredients

2 bunches of Organic Kale

2 small Mandarins

¼ cup Raw Organic Walnuts

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of Water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Begin by cleaning and destemming the kale leaves. Peel the mandarin, separate it into sections and thinly slice each section. Roughly chop the walnuts into bite-sized pieces. In a frying pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat, then add the kale to the pan. Into the kale add a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add a splash of water, quickly place a tight-fitting lid on the pan and allow the kale to simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the stove’s burner and add in the mandarins and walnuts and toss to warm the added ingredients. Serve this up piping hot and enjoy!