K is for...

Kale Salad

Kale has gained as much popularity as a high school football player in the last few years! Whether you find it steamed, in a salad or use it for juicing it is packed with nutrients. Today we are sharing a recipe from Spend with Pennies.

For salads, you often hear “massage the kale”. What does that mean? We’re glad you asked!  After washing and drying your kale, remove the ribs/stem from each kale leaf. Tear or chop the kale into bite-sized pieces. Next you use your hands to massage it, very similar to how you massage a shoulder. You squeeze the kale with the goal of softening it. Some people massage kale with oil, but if you are planning to use it for the base of a salad with additional dressing you might want to skip the oil.

Kale Salad Ingredients:

• 5 cups chopped kale
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
•  2 cups chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup cheese optional (cheddar or feta work great here!)
• 1/4-1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup cranberries

Lemon Dressing Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
•  1 tsp honey or sugar adjust + add to taste

Instructions

1. First make your dressing by combining ingredients above in a lidded mason jar then shake well to emulsify. Dip a kale leaf in the dressing and adjust sweetener, salt, and pepper to taste. You can make this dressing as sweet or tart as your heart desires!
2. Next massage your chopped kale with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Rub with your fingers until leaves begin to darken and tenderize. This makes it taste great and gives the kale a silky texture!
3. In a large bowl, combine massaged kale, broccoli, almonds, cheese, carrots, onion, sunflower seeds, cranberries. Shake your dressing once more and pour about 1/3 of the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat and add extra dressing, to taste.

Recipe Notes

Optional: Feel free to make this recipe your own! Get creative by adding poppyseeds, your favorite protein such as grilled chicken or a hard boiled egg, or anything else you think you will enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Nutritional information does not include cheese and other optional ingredients 

Calories: 334, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 315mg, Potassium: 744mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 9985IU, Vitamin C: 146.3mg, Calcium: 192mg, Iron: 2.7mg