Harvest Kale Salad

Along with cooler, crisp temps, Fall brings with it a coziness that is hard to resist - particularly when it's in the form of baked goods containing the words pumpkin, apple or spice.  I'm a firm believer of the "everything in moderation" ideal - a pumpkin spice latte here, an apple fritter there - nothing to freak out about.  But I'm also someone who really enjoys & believes in keeping balance, which means I like to fill the spaces in between my sweeter indulgences with lots of rich produce, greens, fruits & veggies.  My recipe for an easy to prepare Harvest Kale Salad has some sweet & savory notes of fall and is packed with oh so good for you ingredients that will leave you feeling happy, satisfied & energized.

Harvest Kale Salad

Ingredients

Preparing Kale

Makings of a vinaigrette

Kale - pre-massage

Kale - post-massage

Vinaigrette

Healthy & colorful Fall ingredients

Preparing to toss

Ready to enjoy

Harvest Kale Salad

Ingredients

Salad:
- 1 bunch green kale
- lemon juice (half of one lemon)
- 1 tbsp good quality olive oil
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 c dried cranberries
- 1/2 c raisins
- 1/3 c pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 c reduced-fat crumbled Feta cheese
Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 c good quality olive oil
- lemon juice (half of one lemon)
- 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced


Directions

Tear kale leaves from hard center rib into bite-sized pieces; rinse kale and spin in a salad spinner or pat with paper towels to dry.  Add kale to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, half of the lemon juice (about 1 tbsp) and add sea salt.  Massage kale with hands, making sure to toss and coat all the kale evenly with oil, lemon & salt.  NOTE: Kale is naturally bitter, so massaging it with olive oil, lemon juice & a little sea salt removes the bitter taste from the leaves, making for a much more enjoyable kale experience.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette.  Add the cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds and Feta cheese to the bowl of kale.  Toss ingredients, then drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss again to evenly coat.  Serve immediately or cover, refrigerate and serve the next day.

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