, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
in Recipes, Side dish Cranberry kale salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups 475 ml kale, chopped
- 1⁄8 tsp 1⁄8 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp orange zest
- ½ (2 oz.) ½ (55 g) red onion, slicedred onions, sliced
- 1⁄3 cup 80 ml fresh cranberries or pomegranate seeds
- 1⁄3 oz. (11⁄5 tbsp) 9 g (17 ml) pumpkin seeds, roasted and salted
Instructions
- Add the kale, salt, and 1/3 of the olive oil to a large bowl. Use your fingers to massage the salt and the oil into the kale. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, use a whisk to mix the dressing ingredients; mayonnaise, olive oil, orange juice, and zest until creamy and smooth.
- Approximately 5-10 minutes before serving, add the onion, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds to the bowl with the kale and toss with the salad dressing to combine.
Tips
This salad is equally delicious using lemon juice and lemon zest or 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar in place of the orange juice and orange zest.
If you prefer, use toasted pecans instead of pumpkin seeds for a deep, harvest flavor.
And if you're not a fan of kale, substitute fresh spinach or other crisp greens.
General tips for luscious raw kale salads
Chop the kale in small bite-sized pieces to make eating the salad easier.
Reserve the tougher rib portions from the kale to stir into a pot of soup or to sauté. Use the outer, softer pieces for the raw salad.
Rub or massage the kale with a small amount of salt or olive oil before dressing. The oil wilts the kale a bit and makes it more tender and removes some of the bitterness as well.
Dress the salad 5-10 minutes before serving to let the flavors permeate the kale.
