salad Archives | Page 17 of 24

I used to eat salads like nobody’s business, especially when I first starting transitioning to a vegetarian/vegan based diet. They’re the most common meatless option at restaurants and they’re incredibly easy to make. I ate so many salads that I got a little burnt out on them. I grew weary of them being pretty much the ONLY vegetarian, vegan, or even gluten free option when out to eat. I wanted creativity! I wanted substance! So I mostly stopped eating them for a while, save for making the occasional one at home.

A few weeks ago I decided to pick up some hydroponic lettuce at the farmers market. I came home with small heads of red butter and red oak, the living roots still attached. I took great care in setting them up in the fridge, making sure the roots had a bit of water to drink. Then I nearly forgot about them. It’s rare that I buy lettuce so I kept forgetting to use it in a salad. Oops.

I decided to share the resulting salad here on the blog as a bit of inspiration if you might also be in a salad rut. Or if perhaps you think it’s a pain to make your own at home. This version relies on simple summer flavors and an easy dressing that is made in the same bowl the salad is tossed in. Easy peasy. That way you can attend to more pressing matters like figuring out instagram stories or doing some yoga.

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Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado & Grapefruit (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Thinly sliced kale leaves are massaged with avocado and lemon juice then tossed with pistachios, hemps seeds, and grapefruit segments in this massaged kale salad. This vegan and gluten free salad comes together in just 15 minutes and doesn’t require cooking!

My house is a full-on construction zone, though I like to think it looks more like a haunted house with sheets covering every piece of furniture. I can’t really keep up with my old routines because honestly, I can’t even walk around my house barefooted or leave the house without sheet rock dust smeared across some part of me. Just before the construction began I was able to shoot some photos of this lovely, simple salad. Just looking at the photos has me a little emotional about wanting to get back into my kitchen and out of the hotel that is currently my temporary home. I’ve missed that connection I have with creating and being inspired by food.

This salad is super easy and like most things I’ve been making lately, relies on simple and fresh flavors. I had a few local grapefruit rolling around in my crisper drawer so I decided to use them here but if you don’t have access to them, try other seasonal fruits instead. Berries would be particularly delicious. Since this salad holds up well, you can make it ahead of time or bring it along on a picnic. And if you happen to have some lying around, it is particularly delicious with a bit of vegan parm sprinkled on top 🙂

Why You Should Massage Your Kale

Raw can can often be a bit tough or fibrous to eat. If I’m going to eat raw kale in a salad, I prefer to massage it first with either salt or lemon juice or both. It helps to soften the kale and make it more digestible. You can tell massaged kale is ready when it looks glossy and has turned a darker green color. To massage it, I grasp handfuls with my fingers then press my thumbs towards my other fingers. It’s a similar action to trying to brush something off your fingers but you’re applying more pressure.

How to Make this Massaged Kale Salad

You’ll start by massaging the kale. Remove the stems and ribs of the kale and save them for another use or add them to your compost. Thinly slice the leaves, then add them to a bowl along with the lemon or lime juice and the flesh of your avocado. Massage the kale with your fingers until it starts to soften, then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. Finish the salad by tossing in the pistachios and hemp seeds then season it with salt and pepper. Just before serving, top it with the grapefruit segments.

Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado & Grapefruit

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

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1 bunch of lacinato kale (or other kale of your choosing)
1 medium avocado
1 lemon or lime
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/4 cup raw pistachios
salt/pepper
1 grapefruit

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Instructions

Remove the stems/ribs of the kale and either set them aside for another dish or feed them to your compost. Slice the leaves of the kale into thin ribbons and add them to a bowl along with the flesh of the avocado and the juice of half of your lemon or lime. Using your hands, massage the avocado and lemon juice into the kale leaves until they are evenly coated. Leave this to sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the kale to soften.

Toss in the hemp seeds and pistachios and season with a bit of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Toss then taste and add more lemon or salt as needed. Cut the top and bottom of the grapefruit off, then carefully cut off the skin and pith. Using a paring knife, carefully cut out segments of the grapefruit. Top the salad with the grapefruit segments and enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Category: salad