Summer Salads: Sweet and Nutty Kale Salad

Last year, one of my co-workers made this salad for a staff meeting. It was an instant hit. Since then, I have made this salad several times for pot-lucks, dinner parties, and work functions. There is plenty of room for adaptation to the recipe, as long as you keep the basic ratios intact. In the past, I have swapped walnuts for cashews, cranberries for raisins, and celery for cucumber. Each variation is delicious but I recommend following the recipe below the first time you try it. I think you will be surprised by how well the flavors come together.

Main Salad (serves 2-3):

4 cups of chopped kale

a few pinches of salt

1 small apple, cored and cubed

1 cup cubed pineapple 

2 stalks celery, split lengthwise and chopped

1/3 cup of the dressing, or more to taste

dried cranberries and walnut pieces to garnish

Honey Walnut Dressing (makes about 1 cup):

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. raw honey

1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste

water, to thin

Instructions:

1. To make the dressing, process the walnuts in a food processor until very finely ground

2. Add the honey, salt and vinegar and continue to process until really smooth

3. Add water, about 1 tbsp at a time to reach the desired consistency

4. To make the salad, start by massaging the chopped kale with a few pinches of sea salt and olive oil. Add the apple, pineapple, and celery, then toss with 1/3 cup of the dressing. Reserve remaining dressing for later use. Top with walnuts and cranberries. 

Massaging the kale is key to making this salad edible! I find that massaging it for about 5-7 minutes softens the kale enough without taking away the crunch. Although the recipe calls for a food processor, I have made this salad several times without one and the dressing is still delicious! Now go forth and enjoy, with or without fancy kitchenware!