By Deirdre Imus

Eat your leeks while watching the Daffodils bloom!  Leeks and all Allium vegetables (garlic and onions should be eaten daily.  These are Power Foods to keep you healthy.

Salad:

Butter Lettuce (Bib lettuce)

Organic Kale ( I like all of the varieties of kale especially the

Lacinato)- a bunch

Organic Red Radishes- a bunch

Organic leeks- half

Organic carrots- 2

Nutritional yeast – sprinkle to liking

Prepare the kale- wash, dry and rip into pieces away from the spine 

Purslane- wash and dry

Radishes- wash and cut off ends and cut into fours

Leek- cut the long leek in half , slice up

Carrots- wash and cut up into bite size pieces

Croutons;

Gluten free millet sourdough bread- loaf (or any bread you desire)

Organic cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Himalayan pink sea salt

Preheat oven 325

Cut the loaf of bread horizontally into nice one inch squares and then turn the other way and cut vertically until you have the entire loaf cubed.

put the cubed bread on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, turn them over and bake another 5 minutes or until they’re crunch enough.

Take out of oven and toss in a large bowl drizzle the olive oil on and toss with your fingers then grind the sea salt in and toss again until all of the

croutons are covered with the oil and sea salt.

Note: I purposely toss the olive on after the croutons are baked so as to not cook the oil- this is a much healthier way to eat.

Dresssing:

Organic Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil

Organic yellow mustard

Organic balsamic vinegar

3 cloves of organic raw black garlic (or other garlic just not elephant garlic) elephant garlic isn’t as potent as the other garlics

½ cup of olive oil to ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar

tablespoon of mustard and 3 cloves of minced garlic

add together and shake- I use a glass bottle with a top- you can save a bottle. Or just whisk ingredients in a bowl, save extra in a glass container in fridge.

To serve: toss the salad – put on plates, sprinkle on the nutritional yeast and grab a handful of croutons and toss on top and drizzle dressing- Voila! So good.

Health:

Kale: is a form of cabbage. It’s an excellent source of fiber, beta carotene and vitamin C. It’s also a source of indole-3-carbinol which helps to block the growth of cancer cells. contains potassium, lutein and zeaxanthin (eye health) and is rich in calcium. 

Nutritional Yeast: is a complete protein and a good source of vitamins and B complex vitamins. It’s naturally low in fat and sodium and is free of dairy, sugar and gluten.

Leeks: one of my favorite vegetables. Part of the onion and garlic family. Loaded with antioxidants and cancer fighting phytonutrients. King Richard Leeks are my favorite.  And they’re good for your cardiovascular system.