Kale

It's my new favourite veg. I've been adding it to everything, soup, spaghetti sauce, and the mushroom shepherd's pie recipe below. It's great for you, if you care...according to Madeleine Grey in "Get Fresh", Kale is a great source of Vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Get to know this green in your grocery store and you won't regret it. Unlike spinach or swiss chard, kale requires a little longer cooking time since it's a sturdier green. I like to remove the stems and chop it in strips. My next destination for this green is as kale chips, apparently they're great!

Mushroom Parmentier (Shepherd's Pie)

1.5-2lbs of fresh mushrooms, choose a variety
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
fresh thyme
salt
pepper
1 bunch of kale, stems removed
stock
1 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp red wine vinegar

4 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
handful of grated gruyere cheese, optional
salt
pepper

Bottom layer
Over high heat, saute sliced mushrooms in 1tbsp of butter and 1tbsp olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and cook until the mushrooms let off their juices. Add chopped kale, garlic, thyme and stock, reduce heat to medium and cook until the stock is amost gone. Add worcestershire and red wine vinegar, remove from heat and let sit while you prepare your potatoes.

Top layer
Peel and cube potatoes, boil in salted water until tender. Drain and mash (I like to use a potato ricer which makes the potatoes really smooth). Warm milk and butter in microwave and add to potatoes. You can add grated gruyere cheese, but it's not necessary if you want to keep this healthier. But don't forget the salt and pepper seasoning.

In a shallow baking dish spread bottom mushroom layer then top with potato layer. Bake in 375F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy hot out of the oven!