I know a lot of you have kale in your fridge right now. The reason I know this is because I went grocery shopping a couple days before the new year, and the produce section was jammed with people in preparation for complete body transformations. As I was wondering what the hell I was doing there, I noticed there had been, in particular, quite a run on kale. And yes, I noticed because I, too, was there to purchase some, along with various other green things. I’m not truly hoping for a complete body transformation, but it would be nice to comfortably button my jeans again.
Another thing I’m fairly sure of is there are some of you who have no idea what to do with the kale currently occupying space in your crisper. It is for you I offer this simple salad. For me, the key to a good kale salad is, first, buying the right variety. Dino kale, also known as Tuscan or black kale, is my favorite. The leaves are dark, wide, and slightly more tender than the curly kind, making them perfect to cut into a chiffonade (very thin strips). The next important component is a good balsamic vinegar or citrus juice that will add great flavor and work to tenderize the leaves (massaging the leaves with salt will also tenderize them). Then comes the olive oil to nicely coat the thin strips of kale and some strong flavor components such as cheese, nuts, and dried fruit. You should use this recipe as a guide, substituting or adding different kinds of vinegar, cheeses, nuts, etc.
Serve alongside your favorite lean protein, and you will feel super healthy and satisfied.
Simple Kale Salad
(serves 2)
5 – 6 leaves Dino/Tuscan kale, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/2 clove garlic, grated or very finely chopped
1 TB olive oil
1 green onion, chopped
1 TB blue cheese, crumbled
pinch of kosher or sea salt
black pepper, preferably freshly ground
6 – 8 toasted pecans (I used sweet and spicy pecans)
Slice kale into thin ribbons.
Remove and discard tough stems.
In medium-size bowl, combine vinegar and oil.
Whisk until emulsified (well combined).
Add blue cheese, green onion, salt, and pepper.
Then add kale and toss until all the leaves are coated with dressing. You can do this and set it aside while you finish preparing the rest of your meal. The longer the kale sits in the dressing, the more tender it will become. Just wait to add the nuts, or they will get soggy.
Just before serving, toss in the pecans.
Divide the salad onto two plates, add more ground pepper if you like, and enjoy!
Happy New Year! Cheers to a fresh start!!!
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
Edith Lovejoy Pierce
This one is a must for my list of healthy eating. I can't wait to try it, and I've seen so much of this Kale around in the supermarkets too. Happy New Year to you and thanks for feeding me last year.
Happy New Year to you too! I so appreciate you trying so many of my recipes. Thank you for your thought provoking blog – I always enjoy reading it!