Can you tell me what arrived today from Amazon? a package that includes a teapot, an electric toothbrush, and some unattractive footwear with arch supports for walking the dog. Yes, I did order all of these items for myself. According to certain estimates, I am 26 years old approaching 70. I’ll soon be walking around the neighborhood in orthopedic shoes if I keep going at this pace. A pack of mixed-race black and white dogs who had been adopted could easily drag me along. Crumpet, Cupcake, go more slowly! Cookie, come on!
In my opinion, kale salad is the one dish that can prevent aging. The fountain of youth was blossoming directly under Ponce de León’s feet in Europe the entire time, but poor Ponce de León journeyed to the Americas in pursuit of it. According to The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, kale is an amazing source of vitamins A and C, chlorophyll, and betacarotene, so it’s no surprise that kale salads make my belly content and my skin glow.
The kale salad I’m posting today is not the first I’ve shared on this tiny site, and it most certainly won’t be the last. I won’t give up until each and every guest is able to make a fantastic kale salad!
Since my first kale salad last summer, while I was working as a waitress at Oklahoma City’s Matthew Kenney’s raw, vegan restaurant, I have been a kale salad devotee. The recipe we’re making today is my most recent favorite variant, but I want to emphasize that kale salads don’t need to be elaborate. I adore this straightforward balsamic raw kale salad in the winter with pomegranate and toasted nuts. As demonstrated by this raw kale salad with roasted red pepper dressing, salads with kale work particularly well when they include diced avocado and bold dressings.
Excellent raw kale salad advice:
- The kale stems should first be separated from the leaves. The section of the leaves that is most bitter is the stem. I simply tear the stems from the leaves with my hands, but if you like, you can cut them out with a chef’s knife.
- Cut or tear the leaves into very little, bite-sized pieces while working on a cutting board.
- Kale should be massaged with your hands. Sprinkle a little amount of sea salt over the bite-sized kale, then scrunch handfuls of kale in your hands, release, and repeat until the kale darkens in color and becomes more aromatic (see the difference in the photos below). You’re not hurting the kale, so don’t worry about it! This process enhances the flavor of raw kale and aids in the breakdown of the kale.
- Third, completely combine the dressing with the greens. In order for the dressing to further break down the kale, if at all feasible, let the salad sit for 5 to 15 minutes. Eat up!
I want to briefly discuss this creamy, vegan tahini dressing before we move on to the recipe. Tahini dressing is the kind of dressing/sauce/dip that everyone should be able to make since it tastes almost as decadent as ranch dressing. It tastes fantastic poured over salads, naturally, but also over roasted vegetables, brown rice, steaming veggies, lentils, or beans.
Here are a few ideas for possible modifications. Use less water to make a thick, creamy dressing or more water to make a thinner sauce. Add some minced garlic and lemon zest to the recipe below for a zesty, lemony alternative. Swap the rice vinegar for lemon juice and omit the sesame oil and soy sauce. If you want a dressing that works well as a ranch replacement for salads made in the Southwestern style, replace the lemon in the previous variation with lime juice and zest. Try substituting cilantro with parsley, basil, or dill or combining different herbs. To give the dressing a green goddess appearance, pull out the food processor or blender and incorporate the chopped herbs into it.
Don’t omit the miso, though, under any circumstances. I’ve learned via trial and error that the secret ingredient in this dish is miso. Look for miso, a cheap substance with Asian roots, in the grocery store’s refrigerator. It’s a nice ingredient to have on hand for experimenting because it keeps for months in the refrigerator.
Also read: Arugula, Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Wheat Berries
INGREDIENTS
Raw kale salad
- 1 bunch of curly kale (green or red)
- Sea salt
- 1 avocado
- 4 to 6 carrots (rainbow carrots are pretty but standard orange carrots are great, too)
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (preferably black sesame seeds, regular white are fine)
Creamy tahini miso dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- big pinch red pepper flakes
- small handful chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup water
- dash of tamari or soy sauce (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pull the kale leaves off from the tough stem and discard the stems. Use a chef’s knife or your hands to chop or tear the kale into small, bite sized pieces. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves for a couple of minutes (see notes above).
- In a small bowl or 8-ounce mason jar, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. Divide the kale into two bowls, drizzle in the salad dressing (don’t skimp), and toss thoroughly. If possible, let the salads rest for ten minutes before eating.
- Peel and slice the carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, score the flesh with a knife and scoop it out with a big spoon. Top the salad with carrot ribbons, diced avocado and some chopped carrot greens, if available/desired. Sprinkle the salad with sesame seeds and serve.
NOTES
- Tahini dressing recipe roughly adapted from Good Things Grow.
- This amounts given above yield two salads, but are easily divided by two if you are eating alone. If you have leftover dressing, it should keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
- This salad should keep well in the fridge, covered, for a couple of days. Add avocado just before serving.