Lemon & Pine Nut Kale (Plant-Based, Keto, Paleo)
Lemon & Pine Nut Kale is a simple & healthy side to any meal! It takes less than 10-minutes to prepare and the combination of lemon, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil makes kale exciting and flavourful. Enjoy this healthy green side with meat or fish. Plant-based, low-carb, keto & paleo. AIP version provided.
To be honest, before this recipe I really wasn’t a big fan of kale–and the only way I would incorporate it into my diet was by hiding it in a smoothie.
The BF managed to change my mind about kale in our early dating days …
It was Halloween 2018 and I was heading to his house for the very first time. The plan was to dress-up and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters in his neighbourhood.
I showed up as Organic Farmer Jen (no surprise there) and he dressed up as Superman (padded abs, biceps, quads and all).
We really didn’t discuss dinner plans before I arrived (I was mentally prepared to eat my stash of organic dark chocolate and SmartSweets for dinner), but to my surprise this man had some dinner ideas up his jacked Superman sleeves.
He busted out a gluten free keto pizza from the freezer and then grabbed a bunch of kale from the fridge. Now, the kale didn’t excite me as much as the pizza did, BUT I was extremely impressed that this bachelor had something green in his fridge and was prepared to do something with it.
I decided not to mention that I wasn’t a big fan of kale, after all I did show up as Organic Farmer Jen and what organic farmer doesn’t eat kale, right?!
So, after 10-minutes of methodical kale prep and warming up keto pizza, there we were, the organic farmer and jacked Superman enjoying our first at home dinner–that he made!!!
I realized two important things that night:
- I actually do like kale, I just needed the right combo of ingredients to make it tickle my palate.
- Jacked Superman and his kale recipe might be keepers!
We now make this kale recipe on a regular–and I enjoy it just as much today as I did when I tried it for the very first time.
The combination of lemon, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil makes kale exciting and flavourful. It’s the perfect low-carb, paleo side to any fish or meat dish (or gluten free keto pizza!).
What you need for Lemon & Pine Nut Kale:
- Kale
- Pine nuts
- Lemon
- Garlic
- Avocado oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
Looking for more healthy sides? You’re going to love these …
Lemon & Pine Nut Kale
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, omit for AIP version
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Using a large stove-top pan sauté garlic in avocado oil until fragrant.
- Add kale to pan. Use tongs to coat kale in oil and garlic. Add sea salt.
- Once kale has wilted down, add pine nuts and allow them to toast slightly.
- Add in lemon juice, turn off burner then finish with olive oil. Toss one last time and serve.
