Recipe: Raw Kale Salad

The first time I voluntarily ate raw kale as a snack I felt like I did the first time I turned the dial to public radio -- like in some small way I had evolved as a human being. Or at least become a bit more of a grown-up. If you are interested in nutrition, you are hearing about kale everywhere -- even Oprah declared her love for it on her show featuring Jamie Oliver. A serving of kale contains more than your daily requirement of Vitamins A, K and C and is a great source of fiber, magnesium, iron, folate, calcium, vitamin B6 and Potassium. It even contains protein!  Eat organic kale every day and you could pretty much throw out your multivitamin. If food can heal (and I most certainly believe it can), kale is medicine for the body and soul. I first discovered raw kale salad at Whole Foods and became obsessed.  I mentioned at work that I had started stalking the prepared foods section at WF to get my fix and my co-worker Chelsea told me she had a recipe for it! I was excited to a disturbing degree and have made it several times now:


Kale Salad
1 bunch regular kale (or purple kale or dinosaur kale).
lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon per 1 bunch kale)
salt
Put kale in sink and soak for a few minutes in water.  Swish around a few times then drain or spin dry.  Remove middle rib from each leaf.  Take several of the remaining halves of leaves and stack them up, then roll tightly and cut into fine strips (save time by cheating like me and buy your kale pre-cut and packaged at WF). Pour lemon juice over the cut up kale and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to knead the lemon juice and salt into the kale to tenderize it (this is what allows it to taste good raw).
Once it has softened, drizzle olive oil over it and toss the leaves. You can add whatever you like but I do it with sweetened dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts (which make anything taste good) and raw or dried blueberries. Whenever I get that urge for something a little crunchy or a little salty, this is a good go-to in the fridge.

If you are Atlanta-based, stay-tuned for an announcement on an upcoming seminar with Chelsea and me on great grains and greens!