Bittersweet kale salad

When I have fruits like apricot, nectarine, or peach that are aging fast and getting a bit over-ripe, I pair them with and dark leafy greens (kale, spinach) as a companion to a hearty fish or a barbecued meat. It’s simple to make and yet gives you an unexpectedly complex taste sensation with a combination of slightly bitter kale and sweet & tangy fruits + crunchiness of lightly toasted nuts/seeds (pumpkin nuts works best, and can also use slivered almonds or walnuts) + salty & tangy feta cheese. For additional texture profile, you can add left-over quinoa, cheese crisp, or crackers.

One of my favorite texture add-ons to salads, in lieu of croutons and other carbs, is Sonoma Creamery Cheese Crisp, which contains Parmesan cheese/brown rice/quinoa and is quite handy when you need taste of Parmesan and crisp texture in a flash.

As in the “anytime salad“, as long as you have a few fresh ingredients (like kale and fruits), you can make a salad like this any time!

Bittersweet kale salad

Mix of curly kale, fruits, nuts, and feta cheese creates a refreshing salad with soft & crunchy texture and sweet, tangy, and slightly bitter. Can use any sweet & tangy fruit you have at hand. Pair with a hearty fish or barbecued meat.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Calories 233 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 4 cups kale curly kale works best, and other dark leafy green vegetables, like dino kale and spinach will work well as well
• 1 piece apricot
• 1 piece nectarine
• 1 piece peach
• 2 oz feta cheese
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seed
• ½ cup cooked quinoa only if you have a left-over, and otherwise can substitute with several cheese crisps or crackers
• ⅓ cup herbs, like mint, basil, and cilantro use what you have at hand or can skip. If you are not using fresh herb, add seasoning like Herbs de Provence or oregano.
• 1 tbsp lemon juice for dressing – from about 1/2 of lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil for dressing
• 1 tsp maple syrup for dressing – honey, preserve/jam like cherry and blueberry also works well
• 1 tsp mustard for dressing
• 2 clove garlic for dressing
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes for dressing
• ¼ tsp salt for dressing

Instructions

 

• Wash kale thoroughly, about 3 times – each time in a big bowl of water and transfer to a colander without draining the water, and observe what's left in the bowl. If you still see a significant amount of bugs and dirt in the water after a third wash, it's probably better to use the kale in a cooked dish rather than a salad. In the case, move on to other leafy greens (sorry).
• Massage kale for a softer mouthfeel – dry it really well (spinner + towel dry) and place it in a bowl. Add a few sprinkles of salt (about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoonful) and massage the kale about 1-2 minutes until it becomes softer and slightly wet looking. How long depends on the freshness of kale (the fresher, the shorter) and your preference. Wrap in a paper towel and keep in a fridge until you are ready to use.
  
• Toast pumpkin seeds for about 3 minutes until it becomes slightly brown on edges and starts making snapping sound.
• Mix salad ingredients – transfer the kale to a larger bowl and cut apricot/nectarine/peach into small pieces and crumble feta cheese over the kale. Add pumpkin seeds, herbs, and quinoa.
  
• Make dressing – combine garlic (pressed), lemon juice, honey, olive oil, mustard, red pepper flake, and salt in a small jar and sake vigorously.
• Dress salad – drape about 3 tablespoons of dressing over the salad mix and cradle slowly and gently, about 20-30 times.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 348mgPotassium: 605mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 7203IUVitamin C: 88mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 2mg

Keyword antioxdant, hearty salad, kale

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