Lunch: Seared Kale Salad with Brown Butter-Toasted Pine Nuts and Smoked Bacon

Recipe by Ithai Schori and Chris Taylor This salad is the answer to people who think they don't like leafy greens. Good kale has a deep, almost meaty flavor. Searing it and mixing it with brown-butter-drenched pine nuts, sweet raisins, and salty Parmesan

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Kale, Lemon, Nuts

Health benefits of Seared Kale Salad with Brown Butter-Toasted Pine Nuts and Smoked Bacon

Kale is an excellent source of calcium, which has an important role in egg maturation and follicle development in the ovaries. Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form. Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity.

Ingredients

2 large bunches of kale, thick stems removed, washed and dried, torn into bite-size pieces
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 strips thick-cut smoky bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
Handful of raisins, preferably golden
Handful of pine nuts, toasted
1 lemon
Parmesan cheese, broken by hand into small bite-friendly chunks

Instructions

Roughly chop or tear kale into bite-size pieces.
In a large skillet, add just enough oil to coat the bottom and heat over a high flame until it smokes. Add just enough kale to make one layer. Cook kale until it is slightly softened and bright green but still crunchy, giving it a toss every couple minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer kale to a large bowl, and allow it to cool; it will continue to soften. Cook the rest of the kale in batches, wiping out your skillet after each batch.
Coat the skillet with oil. Set it over low heat and add shallot. Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt, then pour in the wine and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and then immediately turn the heat down to a slow simmer. Let the liquid reduce until it has almost but not quite evaporated, about 10 minutes. Pour the contents of the skillet over cooked kale and allow it to cool.
Return the cooled skillet over low heat and add bacon. Slowly render the fat until bacon is crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined dish to drain. Add to kale.
Top kale with raisins and nuts. Squeeze lemon over the top and add Parmesan to taste. Toss all to combine.