Massaged Kale Salad

So, I know that kale has gotten a lot of publicity this past year...and is still a hot superfood.  But, that's not without reason - it is so good.  Kale chips, sauteed kale, kale chip topped salad, crispy kale with feta (OK - made that up just now, but it sounds amazing) massaged kale - the possibilities are endless.  If you read Shrimp For One yesterday, you might have noticed I served the dish with a massaged kale salad.  

Kale is a nutrition powerhouse: it's loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C, is rich in antioxidants has a moderate amount of fiber.  Sounds good to me...

Here is a picture from that dinner featuring massaged kale with olive oil and sliced artichoke hearts:

Today's recipe is for the basic massaged kale salad - think of it as blank canvas to which you can add anything you want (or for me, and other DIY-likeminded folks - a blank wall you can paint any crazy way - cue bathroom stripes memories).  

Ingredients: 

3C raw kale, washed and rinsed well, then dried and chopped or ripped into bite sized pieces

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4C avocado, diced

sprinkle of truffle salt

Directions:

1. Empty raw kale into a large mixing bowl

2. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar

3. Rub the oil vinegar into the kale very well with your clean hands (at this point the kale will begin to change color and becomes a brighter green - the longer you massage the softer the kale will be - I usually mix by hand for about 1 minute) 

4. Once the oil and vinegar are well mixed with the kale, add in diced avocado and truffle salt

5. Gently mix the salad together as not to break up the avocado 

Nutrition information per serving:

164 calories, 17 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 5 g protein, 5 g fiber

Here is a shot of the final product with pumpkin seeds:

I like to add a crunch to my salads: red onion, fennel, carrots, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or anything else you like.  

What's your favorite way to enjoy kale? I'd love to hear about your massaged kale salad if you make a version of this!  Enjoy. 

xx,

The Future Mrs. Wolf