In honor of National Kale Day, not only did I have kale in my smoothie this morning but I thought I’d share my favorite kale salad recipe (originally posted back in January). Some may think it’s like putting lipstick on a pig, but I think the right dressing makes raw kale salad palatable for anybody and everybody.The Honey-Chipotle Dressing I created for this kale salad is sweet, smoky goodness. Bonus, it is even better the next day so you can plan to take any left-overs (if there are any!) to work.
Kale, as you may have learned from my Kale Caesar Salad, Honey-Ginger Kale with Carrots, and Sweet Sesame Raw Kale Salad posts, is a supergreen and an excellent source of vitamins A and K, calcium, and disease-fighting antioxidants. If you’ve never made a raw kale salad, fall–when you can get this dark, leafy green in abundance from your local farmers’ market–is the time to give it a try. It’s easy, delicious, affordable and will help fortify your immune system against seasonal sicknesses like the cold and flu.
Kale Salad with Honey-Chipotle Dressing
What You’ll Need:
(for the dressing)
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 Chili in Adobo sauce
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 Tbs honey
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
(for the salad)
- 2 bunches (or about 6-8 cups chopped) kale
- 3/4 cup dried tart cherries
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions:
- Mix all salad dressing ingredients together in your blender.
- Chop, wash and dry your kale–removing any of the really thick, woody stems. Add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour dressing over kale and massage into the leaves for a minute, or until well coated.
- Cover and let it refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before you plan to eat (like I said, it is great the next day!)
- When you’re ready to serve, remove it from the refrigerator and add your cranberries and almonds (goat cheese would also go well if you’re so inclined).