This recipe is versatile, and you can change it depending on what you love, and what is fresh and in season. I eat this salad almost every day. Not just because it is overflowing in nutrients but because it tastes amazing. It’s easy to make, and easy to prep ahead for the whole week. If you are like me, having a healthful meal already prepared makes all the difference in how my day will go.
Any type of kale works with this salad, my favorite is Lacinato kale.
Kale needs to be prepared before eating. You do not want to eat the stems. You can easily strip the leaves off the stem, and then wash and dry thoroughly. A salad spinner is best for this.
Finely chop your kale into thin strips and add to your bowl
Add vegetables of your liking. My favorites for this salad are:
-rainbow carrots
-peppers
-red cabbage
The more color in this salad, the more nutrients you are getting
Add 3 TBSP of pumpkin seeds for a great source of Iron, Zinc and Magnesium. Organic no salt added seeds are the healthiest choice.
Depending on the season, fresh cut apples or pomegranate seeds are a great addition.
For protein you can add anything you like. Some suggestions are grilled chicken, fresh salmon, slivered almonds or egg whites.
Add something crunchy like croutons or if you are gluten free, add crumbled rice crackers. Edward and Sons Purple Rice Sesame crackers are my favorite choice.
Dressing
The dressing is what makes this salad taste so amazing. Now I can’t take credit for this dressing recipe. Years ago, in my attempt to recreate a kale salad I had at a local restaurant, I searched everywhere for the best dressing I could find. I scribbled it on a piece of paper and then memorized it. When I went back to look for the creator online, I had no luck. So, thank you kale salad dressing genius, whoever you are.
-Juice of 4 lemons
-12 TBSP Olive Oil (I use cold pressed, organic extra virgin Olive Oil by Bragg)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano or a blend of both. If you have a dairy intolerance, you can substitute Follow Your Heart dairy free parmesan. It’s very hard to tell the difference between the this and the real thing.
1 teaspoon sea salt
2-4 fresh garlic cloves (more if you really love garlic)
Take salt and garlic cloves and mash together with a mortar and pestle until it forms a paste. Then add to the dressing and shake up well. You can also add red pepper flakes if you want a little more flavor. Use a salad dressing container or a glass mason jar to store in the refrigerator. This dressing should last you all week. Make sure to take out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before use.
Storage Tips
Instead of doing all of the prep daily, I do it once and I am done for the week. Store your kale in a good quality vegetable storage container. Cut up carrots and peppers and store in glass containers for the week, letting the carrots sit in water. Once you have done the prep work, you have easy healthy meals for the week that are ready in a matter of minutes.
