Fill up on good, fresh, real food. Try this 4-ingredient salad as a refreshing Spring time lunch or as a topping to lean protein such as grilled seafood, flank steak, or chicken breast. Adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2014 issue.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup Parmesan cheese, shavings (about 2 oz.) (Hint: Use store-bought shaved parmesan cheese or create your own parmesan shavings using a vegetable peeler)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Ground pepper (optional)

Toss parsley, Parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with ground pepper and more lemon juice, if desired.

Makes 4 salad servings, 100 calories per serving

Used to perk up dishes with its fresh green flavor and color, parsley can be much more than a garnish. There are more than 30 varieties of parsley, but the most common are curly-leaf and the more pungent Italian or flat-leaf parsley. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and is preferred for cooking, while the curly variety is associated with decoration.

How to select; Choose bright green leaves that show no sign of wilting.               How to store: Rinse and wrap in a paper towel and then a plastic bag. Refrigerated it will last for a week. You can freeze parsley! Just clean, chop and let dry; then put in little baggies and seal.
How to prepare: The leaves are most commonly used, however the stalks are good for adding flavor to stocks.
Matches well with: chicken, eggplant, eggs, fish, game, lentils, mushrooms, mussels, pasta, peas, potatoes, poultry, rice, seafood, tomatoes, zucchini, lemon