As a current resident of Los Angeles, I almost feel an obligation to like kale. It is everywhere. Every trendy restaurant, smoothie shop and health food spot has kale as a prominent ingredient. I'm not quite sure when exactly the obsession with kale began, but I think it's here to stay. And, for good reason. Kale is high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6. It's also been shown to improve heart health, and anything that supports a healthy heart is something I'll have to try.
The only problem? I hate the taste AND texture of kale. It doesn't have the same crunchy texture that romaine lettuce has and it isn't soft like spinach either. It's got a fibrous texture and a bitter flavor in my opinion. I'm positive I'm not the only one who feels this way about kale! No worries, though. I've figured out the secret to getting kale to lose some of that bitter flavor and soften up. Here's a step by step recipe to making my favorite kale salad that's quick, simple and ACTUALLY tastes good!
Here's what you'll need:
Kale
Shredded carrots
Cucumber
Grape tomatoes
Avocado
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon
Salt & Pepper (Optional)
First things first, tear off the kale from the stem into small, bite sized pieces. Rinse well. I always rinse my produce, no matter where I bought it from. Even if the bag says "Triple Washed", I think it's better safe than sorry and just rinse it yourself. If you've ever had food poisoning, you know that having it once is enough! LOL.
Next, lay the kale out on a paper towel. Drizzle olive oil all over the kale. The next step is the most important: MASSAGE THE KALE. Yes, literally massage it. Kale is high maintenance. Kale is stressed out. That's why it tastes so bitter, from all the stress. Massage all that stress away! Once you've massaged the olive oil into the kale for a couple minutes, it's ready to go.
Now, here's the great thing about kale: It doesn't get soggy. You can massage this olive oil into the kale, then put any extra kale into a Tupperware in the fridge for the next couple days and it won't be soggy when it comes out. Amazing, right? This is especially convenient because now you'll have a pre-made salad practically ready in your fridge. The olive oil flavor will already be on the kale, all you have to do is add your toppings and voila: salad to-go. Anyways, back to the original kale salad recipe.
Next, I add the toppings. I like to use sliced grape tomatoes, chopped cucumber, shredded carrots and diced avocado.
FOR THE DRESSING:
Drizzle on top a splash of balsamic vinegar, juice from 1/4 lemon, and add salt and pepper to taste. This flavor combination goes so well together and is the perfect, fresh salad for summer. I like to have this as a side salad, but you could also add chicken or protein and make it an entree.
This salad is packed with SO many vitamins, healthy fats and great flavor. Next time you are trying to get some good food in your body, give this recipe a try!