Sweet Kale Salad

Whether you’ve hopped onto the kale train or left it entirely, this sweet, summery kale salad will leave you wanting more and more.. 

At least that’s what happened to me, when I proceeded to eat the entire bowl and then lamented the fact that I was out of dressing.

Before we get to this delicious recipe, let’s talk a little about the star of this salad: the fabulous KALE. 

Love it or hate it, kale is a nutritional powerhouse and it’s here to stay. Per calorie, the iron content of kale is even higher than beef, plus it’s low in calorie, high in fibre, and has zero fat. Kale is also high in vitamins A, C, and K, and rich in antioxidants. So basically, you should be eating kale every day. I like to have it in my green smoothies, and I’ve grown to love the somewhat bitter, “green” taste of raw kale. 

For those of you who don’t like the bitterness of kale, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this superfood. The trick is to actually massage your kale (yes, you read that right – massage using your hands) with a bit of extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes until it gets softer and smaller. Pretty soon, the once-tough and bitter kale will transform into its sweeter, silkier self. 

If you’re still not convinced, try this sweet summer dressing I attempted to recreate from the Whole Foods salad bar. If you’ve ever eaten the sweet kale salad from Whole Foods, you’ll know what I’m talking about. That soft, yet crunchy kale, blended perfectly with sweet and crisp apple chips, cranberries, and sliced almonds. I could honestly eat that salad every day, but I refuse to pay $8 for it. Especially when it’s so easy to make yourself! The secret to this dressing is the fresh orange juice, which adds a tangy, citrus flavour, and entirely masks the mild bitterness of the kale. Try it and tell me if it works for you! 🙂

Sweet Kale Salad

Print This

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the dressing:

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. honey or agave
1/2 tsp. salt + pepper

For the salad:

4  cups kale (or enough to fill a large, salad bowl)
1 apple, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup of sliced almonds
3 tbsp. pumpkin seeds (optional)

Sweet Kale Salad was last modified: May 9th, 2019 by themindfulstrawberry

Instructions

1. Mix dressing ingredients into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Wash kale thoroughly and tear off leaves, placing them into a large salad bowl. Gently massage with a drizzle of olive oil for 3 minutes, until it becomes softer and smaller in the bowl.
3. Add remaining salad ingredients with dressing and mix well. Top with pumpkin seeds (optional).

Sweet Kale Salad was last modified: May 9th, 2019 by themindfulstrawberry