Kale Pear Lime Salad

                   Lacinto Kale    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     

Kale Pear Lime Salad

Lacinto Kale (or Dinosaur Kale) is one variety of that dark green vegetable that everyone is talking about and you know you're supposed to eat more of. Lacinto kale is a slightly sweeter taste than the curly kale variety. I decided to make a kale salad with a sweet taste and experimented with adding lime zest for a strong lime flavor. This is the ultimate detox-your-liver salad with kale, daikon, lime, red cabbage, juice-sweetened dried cranberries, nuts and pears.      


Start with 1 bunch Lacinto kale. Wash well, slice into bite-sized pieces and place in large bowl.
Slice 5 Seckel pears and toss with 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tsp umeboshi vinegar, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp agave nectar, 1 Tbsp olive oil and lime zest of 1 lime. Set aside.
Toast 2 Tbsp pine nuts or pecans and add to kale along with 1 cup red cabbage ribbons, 1 cup daikon radish julienne and 2 Tbsp juice-sweetened dried cranberries. Add the pear-lime dressing mixture. Let the salad sit for 30 min before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Mmmmm.

Eat Your Greens!

Now is the season for some wonderful greens like kale, swiss chard, beet greens, collard greens. Try this easy and low fat way to prepare greens.
1 bunch of greens or mixed greens (kale, swiss chard, beet greens, collard greens)
1-2 leeks or a large onion
2 carrots

Wash and chop the greens.
Slice the leeks or slice the onions into half moons
wash the carrots and slice into half moons

Place the leeks or onions on the bottom of a large soup pot.
Cover with the carrots and then the greens on top.
Add about 1/2 inch water, cover and simmer 5-8 minutes until carrots are tender. Check often to make sure the greens are still bright green.
Once cooked, add 1 tsp wheat-free soy sauce and mix all vegetables together.
Serve with a miso-nut butter gravy: mix together 1 Tbsp miso and 1 Tbsp tahini or almond butter. Add warm water until smooth and creamy. Add enough water until desired consistency of gravy is reached.
Drizzle gravy over the greens.