Last week we took all the cruciferous vegetables out of the garden to make room for Spring/Summer plantings like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green beans and cucumbers! Im sad to see my “Dazzling Blue” kale go, but we were able to harvest a few bunches for an end of season kale salad. This isn’t to say Kale is off the menu. It just means I’ll have to wait for my organic box to be delivered or run out to the store instead of just cutting from my garden. The kind of Kale called for in this recipe is called “Dinosaur” or “Lacinato” and I have yet to find a market that doesn’t carry it these days. Like my blue kale, the leaves are soft and mild, so perfect for eating raw. The original recipe calls for two bunches, but I think 3 bunches of kale works better for the amount of dressing.
This signature salad from True Food Kitchen has so few ingredients and steps it’s hardly a recipe at all. It is however my absolute favourite kale salad. It’s rich and tangy with lemon, tossed with parmesan, and topped with breadcrumbs. I have to admit I don’t add the breadcrumbs all the time. It’s delicious with or without, so if you don’t have any day old bread lying around, you can always throw in some seeds or nuts for crunch instead. I often top my salad with toasted sunflower seeds.
I joke that leafy greens are the answer to every nutrition question, but it’s close to true. They contain nutrients which are critical for every cell in your body to function. Greens get an A+ for everything from gut and heart health to balancing blood sugar, helping your body detox, and they can even improve your mood!
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 3 bunches kale, stems removed, leaves sliced into ¼ inch ribbons (about 4 cups)
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbl toasted bread crumbs
- Parmesan cheese shavings (optional)
- in a large salad bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Add Kale, toss, and if you're into it: massage the dressing into the leaves with your impeccably clean hands
- Let salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer. It's better the longer it sits, even overnight in the fridge
- Toss with breadcrumbs and grated cheese
- Top with shaved parmesan (optional)
