Are you looking for an easy and delicious Kale Salad recipe? If you said, “Kale yeah I am!” (sorry, it’s a perfect pun), then I’m happy to be of service. Contrarily, if you said, “When Kale freezes over”, you should google “nutritional benefits of kale”.  

Not so breaking news: Kale is a superfood!

It is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet because it has so many nutrients and so few calories per 1 cup serving.  Working kale into your diet is a great way to add fiber, antioxidants, a little protein, and a whole host of vitamins and minerals. Notably, 1 cup of kale has more immune-boosting Vitamin C than a whole orange. Kale is also one of the world’s best sources of Vitamin K, which supports blood clotting and bone health. 

Although there are many ways to eat kale, (smoothies, soups, and kale chips just to name a few), I just Iove a good, fresh kale salad – especially one that is easy to make. My hands-down favorite is The Tuscan Kale Salad recipe from Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. Dr. Weil is a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine and was one of my teachers at IIN. He’s like the Yoda of Integrative medicine. He is also the founder of a fab restaurant, True Food Kitchen, which we are so lucky to have here in KC and I frequent often. This dish was my go-to order - until I saw how easy it was to make at home. Dr. Weil’s Tuscan Kale Salad is the perfect combination of simple, yet elevated so try it for a weeknight dinner or even a dinner party (fingers crossed for the return of parties!).   

A few tips:     

• Make extra. It is actually better the next day so make plenty for leftovers, a.k.a. lunch. Also, make extra dressing. This zippy lemon dressing, (just EVOO, fresh squeezed lemons, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes) is just perfect for basically any salad or even as a marinade.

• Modify to fit your personal needs and preferences. For example, add your favorite protein to make it more filling and voila – it’s a meal in a bowl! I usually add grilled chicken, or garbanzo beans if I want a meatless dish. If you do not want the cheese, simply omit. You could also try nutritional yeast, or a vegan cheese for a vegan alternative. The same goes for the bread crumbs – feel free to omit it, use a gluten-free bread, or add a toasted nut like pine nuts for some crunch.

• Use quality ingredients. One reason this recipe is so simple is because there are relatively few ingredients. The quality of ingredients really does matter. Use the best quality ingredients you have on hand and that are in your budget:

  • Kale: I recommend the Lacinato (dinosaur) Kale that the recipe calls for, but any kale will do. The key here is to make sure it is fresh, and organic if possible. Don’t forget to de-stem the kale, give it a little massage and let it sit at least 5-10 minutes after tossing the dressing.

  • EVOO: Use the best you have! I’m currently loving the Brightland brand Alive flavor.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and share what you thought about it in the comment box below.

P.S. Still not ready to hop on the kale bandwagon? Check out this video 😉.

Thanks for being here!    

Until next time….  go out there and make a few deposits in your health bank!

Peace and Kale,