Massaged Kale Salad with Apples and Blue Cheese

Recipe by McKenzie Zajonc, MS, CN, LMHCA 

Many recipes come and go, yet this one will stick with you throughout the years. It is quick and an excellent way to prepare nutritionally dense kale. Unlike most salads, this one will keep for days in the fridge, even after being dressed.

Preparation time 15 minutes
Makes 6 servings

1 LARGE bunch kale
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)
3/4 cup diced apple (1⁄2 apple)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Choosing a large kale bunch is important or the salad will be overly salty and over-dressed. De-stem kale by pulling leaf away from the stem. (Hold stem in one hand and aggressively tear the kale away from stem.)

Wash leaves and spin, pat dry, or hang on dish drying rack overnight. Stack leaves, rollup and cut into thin ribbons. Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, massage salt into kale with your hands for 2 whole minutes. The volume of the kale should reduce by about 1/3. Kale will move from crunchy to soft texture.

Put kale in a fresh bowl and discard any leftover liquid. Stir in onion, raisin, walnut, and apple into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar and toss. Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary. When at desired flavor, toss in cheese. 

This recipe is from our friend McKenzie Zajonc, MS, CN, LMHCA. Mckenzie is a Nutritionist and Health Psychology Counselor rated as the Top Health Coach at Microsoft. More info about her work can be found here: http://www.innernutritionist.com/