Move Over, Spinach and Kale!

When I bike past the farmers’ fields, I love to see the abundance of beautiful produce. Many crops are packed into boxes right there in the fields.  The workers trim off the stems and leaves, and fill the crates.  The trimmed portion falls back to the ground, and is eventually turned into the soil to provide nutrients to the soil, thus nourishing the next crop to be planted.

image from Foxy Organic website

But broccoleaf — the leaves of broccoli — is nutrient dense for humans, too.  Packed with vitamins A, K, and antioxidants, broccoleaf is mineral dense, too.  It has a higher calcium content than both kale and broccoli florets.  Now a few farmers are trimming the young leaves and sending them off to the market, and Lassen’s is excited to now offer organic broccoleaf in our produce department.

It’s a wonderful green to add to your detox juices or smoothies, and its flat, thick leaves are great for wraps.  Cancer-preventing glucosinolates are found in abundance as well, so it is a great addition to your healthy diet. Versatile and delicious, broccoleaf is sweeter than kale, and can be used like many other greens.  Use it as a salad base, shredded into scrambled eggs, or tossed into soups and smoothies.  

Here’s a delicious broccoleaf recipe that I included in our family recipe lineup this week:

• Roasted organic garnet yam (about 8 oz)
• Roasted organic celery root (about 8 oz)
• 1 bunch organic broccoleaf (they are packed in 10-leaf bunches), chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup sliced organic almonds, toasted lightly
• Dressing:  Mix together
• 2 TBSP Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 TBSP Apple-cider vinegar
• 1 tsp stone-ground prepared mustard
• 1 tsp raw honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.  
• Peel and chop the yam and celery root into 3/4 inch cubes
• Toss the yam and celery root with 1 TBSP olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and fresh-ground pepper
• Roast for 20 minutes, turning once.
• Remove from the oven and cool.
• Chop the broccoleaf, and then add the cranberries and almonds.
• When the yams and celery root are cool enough, add to the bowl and toss with the dressing.