Easy kale salad
I don’t like kale. There. I said it. I know things like kale chips are the current trend in healthy eating and kale is sneaking into everything from salads to smoothies to fresh pressed juice but EW. Just ew.
1000% (yes the extra zero was intentional) I don’t like the taste. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely appreciate the nutritional value behind kale. After all, it’s super nutrient dense, has all kinds of health benefits, and (most importantly to me) contains Quecertin which helps keep my allergies at bay so I’m continually trying to find ways to incorporate kale into my routine.
Here’s a couple of pro tips with kale. First, regardless of whether or not you buy it organic, you have to rinse it and rinse it well. Critters definitely love to live in all of its little crevices and that’s gross. Typically, I remove the stems and veins, chop it into my serving size and then put it in a bowl, submerging it in water and my fruit wash for at least two minutes. Then I drain and rinse it, spin it in a salad spinner to remove the excess liquid and I’m typically good. Second, since kale is such a huge source of roughage, it’ll help your digestion if those enzymes are partly broken down before consumption. That’s a fancy way of saying cooked kale is easier to digest than raw kale. The lemon for sure takes care of that process in this salad, it also helps to improve the taste which arguable for me is a bigger priority. Those two things will help in making the kale a little easier to swallow if you’re like me and it’s not your favorite.
My love for this recipe though comes from how quick and easy it is to throw together as well as all the options you have. Make sure you take note of the ideas below the recipe so you know how to change things up!
easy kale salad
Cook time: 15 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
2 bunches or one bag of kale
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 avocado diced
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Pinch of salt
Pepper to taste
Clean up your kale and set it aside. Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet.*
Place your kale in a large bowl and add in the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and avocado. Using your hands, mash the avocado, lemon and oil into the kale (this is what helps break down those enzymes). Add in the feta cheese and pine nuts, tossing gently to combine.
Serve immediately or chill for 1 hour if you would like and enjoy!*
*If you’ve never toasted nuts before it’s super easy. DO NOT spray your skillet with anything. Heat your skillet over low heat and once hot, toss in the nuts stirring them around for 2-5 minutes or until you can smell the nuts. As soon as you can smell them, remove them from the heat because they’re done!
*If you’re looking to add things in here are some ideas:
Diced up grilled chicken
Tomatoes
Hardboiled eggs
Grilled shrimp
