Simple Kale Salad with Lemon dijon Vinaigrette
ChampagneYogiA simple Kale Salad is that perfect salad you can take to a friends house, a potluck and feel confident everyone will enjoy it. When paired with a delicious and light vinaigrette, you turn a simple salad into a wow salad.
Now that the sun is finally starting to shine here in Seattle, I’m craving salads more than I typically do in winter. What I love about this simple kale salad, is that is lasts for 2 days, just so long as I store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. That means I get 2 meals out of it! Yay!
Nowadays everyone has their favourite go to Kale salad. And while I’m a huge fan of throwing ingredients together on a whim, I tend to stick to a basic lemon dijon vinaigrette dressing. Add anything you want to the salad and personalize it. I like going through my refrigerator and tossing in any veg that needs eating up. During fig season – I am obsessed! They are an absolute must in all my salads!
This Kale salad is a light and refreshing side dish or a light lunch you can whip up in no time. Plan to make extra, as kale leaves do not get soggy. They require a light hand massage to break down the fibers – this helps you digest it better too.
Before you head to the supermarket, be sure to download my FREE Healthy Habits Shopping Guide. It will give you all the staples you need to keep on hand to create a healthy meal.
Simply store in a sealed container in the fridge for the following day. Honestly, this is my lunch on most days. The dressing is nothing more than lemon juice, olive oil, honey and dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Its simplicity makes it absolutely perfect.
Once you start making homemade vinaigrette, you won’t go back. Serena loves to measure and whisk the basic ingredients together, and is my official taste tester for all of my recipes. So get your loved ones and littles involved in the kitchen. It makes dinner time so much more enjoyable. I used to go through stages where I burned out making meals day after day. When my girls were old enough to help, cooking became fun again.
The best thing about making your own Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette is knowing exactly what’s in it. You can change the flavour by using different vinegars, and there are no preservatives or nasty polyunsaturated oils.
Kale is naturally low in calories and is among the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. Adding kale to your salads is a great way to dramatically increase the total nutrient content of your diet. Did you know a single cup of raw kale actually contains more vitamin C than an orange? And is highly effective at lowering bad cholesterol in our bodies. Wow!
Tip:
If you’ve never tried a kale salad before, try adding a few baby kale leaves to your typical salad mixture and gradually increase the ratio.
You’ll have plenty of dressing left over, be sure to store in a the fridge.
Enjoy!
- 1 Large bunch of Kale washed, dried, roughly chopped
- 1 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly squeezed lemon juice from 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- In a bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk in olive oil, honey and dijon mustard. Set aside.
- Cut the kale into thin ribbons: lay a large bunch of kale leaves on top of each other, roll into a ball then slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. No need to be too precise, the idea is so create a “slaw” like consistency.
- Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Pour half the dressing over the salad and massaging it with your hands to break down the fibrous texture of the mature kale leaves. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed, tossing to coat thoroughly
Notes:
If you have any sensitivities to sulfur rich foods, try using baby kale first. There is no need to remove the stems, or massage the kale down, and it’s easier to digest.
If you try this recipe, let me know. And if you are lover of figs share your favourite recipe with me. I’d love you to pin it on Pinterest or share it on Facebook. Post your re-creation on Instagram (tag me @amandavs #amandavs, #healthyissexy) I’d love to see your creations.
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XO Amanda