Sweet & Savory Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

One of my New Years resolutions was to incorporate kale into my diet on a regular basis AND develop 10 kale recipes in 2014. Although I haven't purchased it during every grocery trip, it's been in the cart more often than not! That's a success in my book!

Kale is LOADED with nutrition. It's like the superfood of superfoods. What do you do with it though? That was mostly my problem. I used to purchase it and there it would sit {or hide} in the crisper, rotting away. Whoops! Sound familiar?

I've been playing around with it lately and am getting used to its texture and taste. Speaking of taste, it's a pretty mild green - similar to spinach - except with very course leaves. I wanted to make a "sweeter" kale salad that still had some savory elements, and this is the perfect marriage of both those components. Crisp apple, dried cranberries, and apple cider vinaigrette complete the sweet while a hint of red onion, creamy avocado, salty feta, and toasted almonds make up the latter.

This salad is BURSTING with nutrition and is extremely detoxifying. Both lemon juice and apple cider vinegar have cleansing properties our bodies will thank us for. What's more important is that it tastes divine! Okay maybe I'm a bit biased since I made it, but I never thought I would shovel kale so quickly into my mouth. I hope you enjoy it as much I do!

TGIF...and eat your greens!

---

Sweet & Savory Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 5-6 cups kale, stems removed, chopped into small pieces

• 1/2 apple, diced (I used Gala)

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1 avocado, sliced or cubed

• 2 tbsp red onion, very finely chopped

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

• 1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

  For the Dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp agave

• 1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

Instructions

1. For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and salt until well combined

2. Place the chopped kale in a large bowl and pour dressing on top. Message dressing into kale with hands. Wrap kale mixture with saran wrap and chill for at least an hour (best overnight).

3. Before serving mix in the apple, dried cranberries, avocado, and onion. Top with toasted almonds.

Notes

I think it's important for the kale to chill in the fridge coated with the apple cider vinaigrette so the course leaves break down - but this step CAN be omitted if you don't mind a thicker green. I let mine chill overnight!