Kale Salad with Summer Veggies

Kale. Can’t get enough of it. Most often I juice it, or steam it & toss it into a simple bowl of quinoa & liquid aminos, but lately, I’ve been trying to enjoy it in all of its raw glory.

I threw this simple salad together yesterday, as a kick-off to, what I hope to be, a very healthful summer. All of the veggies are seasonal & local. I know I’ve touted the benefits of kale in previous posts, but here’s another quick rundown on this superfood. Kale is the “queen of greens” & a nutritional powerhouse. It is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants. Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids & helps lower blood cholesterol levels & reduce the risk of heart disease. While it is often said that you will receive maximum benefits from lightly steaming kale, I often enjoy it in the raw, lightly “massaged.” Massaging helps to lightly “wilt” the kale, allowing it to be more fully enjoyed in its raw form.

For this creation, I cut the kale into small ribbons & massaged it with a bit of Lightened Up Lemon Tahini Dressing from Oh She Glows. Then I tossed in some seasonal veggies I had on hand - rainbow carrots, chioggia beets, & avocado, then sprinkled in some raw pepitas for extra “crunch.”

KALE SALAD WITH SUMMER VEGGIES

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan

Recipe Type: Salad

Cuisine: Vegan, Raw

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch of green kale

• ½ cup shredded rainbow carrots

• ½ cup shredded chioggia beets

• ½ avocado, cubed

• ¼ cup raw pepitas

• 1 batch of Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing (from Oh She Glows)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare dressing in a food processor & process until smooth.

2. Shred carrots & beets in a food processor, or grate by hand.

3. Tear the leaves off of the kale stems & chop into bite-sized pieces.

4. Mix kale & dressing (¾-1 cup) in large bowl until thoroughly combined, & massage dressing into leaves until just wilted. Add veggies & toss. Sprinkle with pepitas.

5. Place in fridge to ‘marinate’ for 10-15 minutes. Keeps in fridge in a sealed container for 1 day.

There is nothing like a raw kale salad on a warm summer afternoon. I absolutely love this dressing & will be making it often, however, I might reduce the salt by ½ a tsp. next time, as the nutritional yeast made it savory enough for me. Enjoy!