The other day, a friend of mine casually mentioned that she had received a giant box full of organic purple kale, and would I like some? Would I? Of course, I would!
My love of kale is well known. My ears perk up when kale is mentioned and I'm always looking for new ways to use this vitamin-rich, detoxifying, fibre-full, cruciferous superfood. I love it in soup or salad, as a chip, and on pizza. I have drank the kale-infused kool-aid, and will pretty much eat anything that boasts kale as an ingredient.
Awesome And Awesomer: Addictively Delish Kale Chips
My husband, on the other hand, will not.
When my friend dropped off a big bag of kale for me, I thought I would make some of it into a salad. I whisked together a dressing, massaged it into the kale, and let it sit for a while —this is the big secret to a great kale salad, it is better when made in advance and allowed to marinate. I decided to try some of this salad for lunch. It was delicious! The dressing was tangy, the kale was perfectly crispy without being tough, and the walnuts added a lovely crunch.
As I munched through my bowl, I thought that this was it, the game changer, the kale salad to end all kale salads. This was the salad that would make my husband love kale. By the time I had finished my bowl, I had completely imagined the scenario in which my husband ate the salad, falling to his knees with love and adoration not just for me, but for the incredible kale salad.
Then I realized I was still a bit hungry. Two more bowlfuls later and I had eaten the whole thing. My husband's adoration would have to wait for another day.
Ingredients:
Remove kale leaves from the stems and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutritional yeast (if using). Pour over kale pieces. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale until it is all covered.
Set aside. NOTE: this can be made 24 hours in advance. Kale does not get soggy.
Serve topped with toasted walnuts and/or Parmesan cheese, if desired.
NOTE: to toast walnuts, heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add walnut pieces and cook, stirring and flipping, for about five minutes, or until walnuts are golden brown and fragrant. Allow to cool before topping salad.
Want another way to eat an entire head of kale? Try my easy and delicious Kale Chips - Two Ways. Just looking for more salad ideas? Try my Salad-in-a-Jar, or my Sensational Caesar Salad.
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