For the longest time, I've wanted to start
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a food blog
This is my year
“Why not .. What are you waiting for?”
I want to cook, eat well, have dinner parties, and turn my binders of cut out newspaper recipes into reality
Have a reason to make weeknight dinners into something a bit special. Where I light a dinner candle and remember that pretty flowers in the kitchen make me happy, and write about it along the way
So I bought a camera that I have no idea how to use yet, picked out a couple of recipes, went to Trader Joe's, and made a great meal for someone I love
This salad has been a signature dish of my Mom's for as long as I can remember. Not only is it colorful and filling, but it's full of nutrients as well. To read about the health benefits, included are a few links to The World's Healthiest Foods's site: kale, walnuts, cranberries, onions, and peppers
Over the years I've begun to share her fondness for salads made with kale. Even a dressed salad will fare beautifully in the fridge for several days, unlike others made with more delicate greens.
When it comes to making a better kale salad, here are a few tips I've picked up along the way
Always remove the ribs
Salads are far easier to eat when the kale has been chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
Kale leaves sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt are less bitter.
Kale will do well with bold dressings. Drizzle the dressing over the leaves and massage it into them just a bit with your hands. This will ensure they're coated, as well as making the kale more palatable
There are so many things that one can add to their salad to make it great. A few ideas? Toasted nuts, grated or crumbled cheese, chopped raw fruit or veggies.
Enjoy!
xoxo
~ Adapted from Chatelaine
Kale Salad with Wheat Berries and Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat berries (or spelt)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups chopped kale (about a small bunch)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup walnuts (or pecans), chopped and toasted
- juice from ½ of a grapefruit
Instructions
- Wheat Berries
- Rinse wheat berries
- Combine with 8 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, covered, until wheat berries are tender (~ 30 to 35 min)
- Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside
- Make the Dressing
- Whisk oil, balsamic vinegar, a strong pinch of sea salt, and a couple grinds of black pepper.
Salad
- Remove the stems from the kale and chop the leaves well. We want small pieces, like something you could eat with a spoon, not large leaves. About five cups.
- Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle on about ⅔ of the dressing. For five minutes or so, massage the dressing into the kale.
- Add the wheat berries, cranberries, onion, and nuts. Drizzle on the rest of the dressing and grapefruit juice; toss to combine.
- Serve immediately
1 Comment
Pretty yummy all around; most definitely a keeper.