Creating a cookbook requires taste testers. When I was writing “Spinach and Beyond: Loving Life and Dark Green Leafy Vegetables” I would pass out recipes to friends and ask them to provide feedback. This is the recipe that came back with the most enthusiastic comments, and remains a favorite for one of my early taste testers. She passed out the recipe to many of her friends, who years later are still telling me how much they like it.

I hope you are now enjoying a current wonderful abundance of kale, collards, chard, spinach, dandelion, lamb’s quarters, and other greens. They are in your garden, in the wild, in your yard, in CSA boxes, and, of course, in stores. Now is a great time to learn some new recipes for how to cook those greens. I offer you this simple one, which so many have enjoyed.

Nutty greens

Time: 2-5 minutes to wash and prepare fresh greens, 15-20 minutes for greens to cook, 10-15 minutes to prepare the nut sauce. Equipment: food processor, heavy-bottomed skillet Serves: about 4 people, depending on other courses. Type of dish: side or possible light main dish Leftovers: Does not freeze well. Lasts about 3 days, reheats well.

Ingredients 2 bunches of greens or two packages frozen 1 cup nuts (see list) 6 ounces of feta cheese 1 tablespoon of vinegar (balsamic, red wine, or herbal) 1 tablespoon of water

Directions 1. Steam or boil 2 bunches of greens (about 3 cups uncooked for each bunch), washed and cut or torn into bite-sized pieces. Or use two packages of frozen greens, and omit washing and cutting.

2. While they are cooking dry roast 1 cup of chopped nuts. In order of preference, I like pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds and peanuts. You can also combine some of these for a more exotic taste. Dry roasting requires a heavy-bottomed skillet--cast iron is perfect. The skillet is heated, and nuts are added with no fat or liquid. You must stir constantly, and use a fairly high heat. Most nuts need only about 1-3 minutes to roast nicely and bring out their flavor.

3. Let the nuts cool slightly but while still warm place into a food processor. Add 6 ounces of crumbled feta cheese. Pulse them lightly, until they are slightly chopped, and feta is distributed. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (balsamic, red wine, or herbal) and 1 tablespoon of water. Pulse once or twice just to distribute the liquid.

4. Mix with warm greens and serve.

The greens are made more bio-available with the vinegar, and of course both walnuts and greens are heart healthy. The only added salt is from the feta cheese; if you would like to decrease the salt content just rinse it before using.

Linda Diane Feldt is a local Holistic Health Practitioner, writer and teacher. The cookbook where this recipe and about 100 others may be found is “Spinach and Beyond: Loving Life and Dark Green Leafy Vegetables” available locally at Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, Nicola’s, and Morgan and York, or from Amazon.com. Follow Linda Diane on twitter, visit her website, or contact her directly ldfeldt (at) holisticwisdom.org