Kale s***s! Try its totally underrated cousin chicory instead

Ok, kale doesn't really suck, but we got your attention, right?

When thinking 'salad'. chicory is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. Slightly pale and boring looking but even worse bitter in taste, one rather sticks to the usual iceberg, cos lettuce or gem.

But fear not, foodie friends, help is nigh'. We believe, chicory is one of the most underrated greens in our eyes.

Here are 3 reasons why:

1. It is high in fibre

2. It improves digestion

3. It contains small amounts of nearly every essential vitamin- great source of folic acid and vitamins B and K

And even better still, it is in season in the UK when other lettuce varieties have to be imported. So by buying chicory you can decrease your environmental foot print AND support local produce at the same time, how cool is that?!?

On top of it all, chicory can be absolutely delicious if combined with the right ingredients.

So, move over, butterhead lettuce: let's get cooking!

For this recipe you don't need much:

1 pack of small British baby chicory (it could be ordinary chicory but the baby variety is tender and crisp)

1 head of cos or iceberg lettuce-optional

1 handful of pumpkin seeds

1 apple

2 clementines (or 1 small orange)

1/2 cup of olive oil

3-4 table spoons of white wine vinegar

2 table spoons of Jake's Boost SuperBoost

salt and pepper to taste

Start with the dressing. It is best to use a dressing shaker of some kind to make sure the liquid ingredients and the nut butter combine well.

Pour olive oil, white wine vinegar and the juice from 2 clementines into the shaker, add Jake's Boost and shake well. Feel free to add a pinch of salt and pepper.

After rinsing the chicory under cold water, cut the bulbs in half, leaving the stems on.

Cut the apple in thin slices or chunks, that's completely up to you. Wash and cut the other lettuce into strips.

Brush the chicory halves with olive oil and lay into a griddle pan 'face' down. Leave on low heat, you will know when they ready as the outer leaves start to become translucent.

Take the chicory out and throw the pumpkin seeds in, you can even turn the heat down as the pan will be hot enough to roast the pumpkin seeds pretty quickly.

Place the lettuce in the middle of the plate, drape chicory halves around it. Scatter the apple chunks over the chicory and lettuce. Sprinkle the roasted pumpkin seeds on top and drizzle with the nuttily delicious Jake's Boost SuperBoost dressing.

If you'd rather have some protein with it, a mild blue cheese crumbled all over would make a yummy addition.