Massaged Kale Salad with Dijon Poppy Seed Dressing

Kale is one of the staples in my diet. With all the amazing health benefits, I try to put some in my grocery cart nearly every week.  If you want to know a little secret, I was never the biggest fan of kale because of it's fibrous texture. It didn't seem to matter how much I sauteed or steamed, there was always a lingering roughness that made it slightly too "green-y" for me. I still ate it because I knew that it is one of the best things I could be eating. That has all changed now that I have learned the trick to silky, smooth kale...a massage! Rubbing the kale breaks down the cellulose, causing it to wilt. The greens reduce in volume and take on a smoother texture like spinach. Genius! Massaged kale can then be eaten raw as a salad, flash steamed, sauteed, whatever your little green-eating heart desires!

So give your kale a little rubdown before prepping and let me know if you can taste the difference!

Ingredients, kale
1 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced into ribbons
1 lemon
Cold-pressed olive oil
Sea salt
A couple handfuls each red and green grapes
1 ripe avocado
¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, dress kale with lemon juice and a few splashes of olive oil and add a pinch of sea salt. Wash your hands, then massage the kale until it turns dark green, soft, and tender. This takes about two minutes
2. Add halved grapes, avocado cubes, and the pine nuts.
3. Make the dressing, a couple tablespoons to taste and mix

Ingredients, dressing
¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together. Store leftovers in a glass jar for up to one week, as this makes much more than you will need for the salad!

Enjoy!

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