Raw Kale Salad
Thursday July 12, 2012
My will-power has been dwindling recently. Have people ever told you that you eat more in the winter to raise your body fat so you stay warmer in the cold months? I don't think this is true. I eat just as much in the summer time. This is the season when I want to sit on a dock and eat chips and drink cocktails, and eat ice cream, and have barbecues. Every day.
Since I don't seem to have a handle on my will-power recently, I thought I would just surround myself with healthy things to eat. Like raw kale salad. It's green and healthy and delicious. (Unfortunately I have also been making copious amounts of ice cream concurrently so my plan is kinda flawed.)
When I find a new recipe I really like I tend to become obsessive. Like make-it-every-day-for-2-weeks obesessive. This happened a few weeks ago with my fennel and apple salad with fresh mint.
Since my garden is actually over-run by kale plants- I have been trying to use it up -which is hard, considering there are over 60 plants in there.
Overgrown kale plants from last year (they are invincible it seems)
Newly planted kale plants
I have been literally making this salad almost every day. It is fresh, delicious and raw. I know kale can be bitter, so to avoid this, there is a little trick- you rub the leaves with a bit of salt and olive oil. Massage the bitterness out- get it to relax a bit. Relaxed kale is happy kale! That is one lucky vegetable- I wish I had my own personal masseuse.
Want a different kale recipe? Try my Sautéed kale salad!
Raw Kale Salad
Ingredients:
1 large bunch fresh kale
1/2 a red pepper - julienned
1/2 a yellow pepper - julienned
1/2 an orange pepper - julienned
1 small red onion - sliced in thin strips
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp grainy honey mustard
2 tsp honey
2 tsp lime juice
Optional:
add a few handfuls of fresh spinach and chopped red leaf lettuce to the kale
Method:
Prepare the Kale: Remove coarse stem. In a large bowl, drizzle the kale with olive oil (~1 tbsp) and 1/4 tsp of salt. Rub the leaves between your fingers and thoroughly (but gently) massage the leaves (this will soften them as well as remove the bitter aftertaste). Tear the leaves into pieces.
Prepare the Onions (optional): sprinkle salt over the onions and squeeze them with your hands. Place them in water and let sit for ~5 minutes (chop your vegetables and make your dressing during this time).
Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk to combine.
Salad!: Combine the kale, peppers, onions, and dressing (reserve some of the onions and peppers for the top after you have tossed the leaves with the dressing). Scatter on the reserved veggies and sprinkle with the pecans.
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1/2 a red pepper - julienned
1/2 a yellow pepper - julienned
1/2 an orange pepper - julienned
1 small red onion - sliced in thin strips
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp grainy honey mustard
2 tsp honey
2 tsp lime juice
Optional:
add a few handfuls of fresh spinach and chopped red leaf lettuce to the kale
Prepare the Onions (optional): sprinkle salt over the onions and squeeze them with your hands. Place them in water and let sit for ~5 minutes (chop your vegetables and make your dressing during this time).
Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk to combine.
Salad!: Combine the kale, peppers, onions, and dressing (reserve some of the onions and peppers for the top after you have tossed the leaves with the dressing). Scatter on the reserved veggies and sprinkle with the pecans.
