Kale might not be on your list of favorite greens yet, but I believe this delicious kale salad with garlic and lemon can change that. We all know kale is good for us, but if you don’t know how to prepare it, it doesn’t taste great. Here is why you should be eating more kale in your diet and how to prepare it.
Why is Kale Good for You
One of the nutrition principles of Eat Beautifully is to eat more greens than you ever imagined! Kale is technically a cruciferous vegetable like cabbage or broccoli, and is a “super green” which means it is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. Kale has an incredible amount of benefits for your body. Here are just a few reasons why you should be eating more kale salad:
- One cup of kale has more vitamin C than an orange. Vitamin C not only helps your immune system, but can help your body absorb iron which encourages hair growth and collagen production
- Kale contains a high amount of vitamin K (684% of your daily value!) lutein and zeaxanthin which helps protects your eye health
- You can find 10% of your daily value of calcium in a cup of kale which makes it an excellent source of calcium for people who are dairy-free
- Kale is considered a cruciferous vegetable which means it includes compounds which are believed to have protective effects against cancer
How to Make Delicious Kale Salad
Raw kale is know for its bitterness and fibrous texture. In order to make kale salad taste better you need to modify its texture to make it easier to eat. The secret to a better tasting kale salad is to massage it. Massaging kale with a little oil and salt, or lemon juice and salt, breaks down the fibrous texture and makes it easier to chew. Plus it boosts the flavor.
How to Prepare Kale Salad
In addition to featuring superfood kale, the secret ingredient in this salad is fresh garlic. Did you know that garlic is a potent antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-fungal food? Enjoying raw garlic regularly can help prevent colds and infections and has been used in altnerative medicine for centuries. This recipe calls for two large garlic cloves. If you are worried about the garlic overpowering the salad, the lemon juice, olive oil and salt will help mellow out the taste of the garlic.
Crushing the Garlic
Select two large garlic cloves and mince the garlic well. Sprinkle a little salt on the minced garlic and then begin to crush the garlic with the back of the spoon (the easiest) or flat part of a knife until it almost forms a paste. Click here for a guide on how to make garlic paste.
A note that you may be tempted to substitute garlic powder for fresh garlic but I suggest you use fresh garlic for the best taste.
Massage the Kale
Once you form the garlic paste, add the garlic to the bottom of a large bowl. Add the olive oil and kale that has been rinsed and dried. Now begin to massage the olive oil and the garlic into the kale (for at least two minutes) until the kale becomes soft. Once the kale has become tender, add the lemon juice and set aside to marinate. (Wash your hands immediately to remove the garlic).
How to Serve Kale Salad
The salad will likely not need any additional dressing. Serve with:
- Pine nuts
- Parmesan or nutritional yeast
- Croutons
- Protein (shrimp, chicken or tofu)
What I also love about this kale salad is that you can make it in advance. Unlike regular lettuce, kale doesn’t get soggy if you make it in advance. I like to make a big batch to eat throughout the week.
How to Make Kale Salad That Tastes Delicious
This simple kale salad has just five ingredients (kale, olive oil, salt, garlic and lemon juice) and is destined to become your new favorite way to make kale salad.
Ingredients
- Two large bunches of curly kale, rinsed and dried
- 2 large cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced (about 1 tablespoon, more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt, divided
- Pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/4 cup pine nuts, parmesan, nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Rinse and dry your kale. Run your hand along the stem to remove the green leaves. Chop the kale loosely and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Separately, mince two large cloves of garlic (the pieces should be really small). Sprinkle minced garlic with a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt. With the back of a large spoon, or the flat side of a large knife, crush minced garlic into a paste.
- Add garlic paste, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to kale mixture. Then with clean hands massage for about 3 minutes. The point of massaging is to infuse the kale with the garlic and break down the fibrous characteristics of the kale.
- Add lemon juice.
- Set aside for 5 minutes and wash hands.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of pepper (optional) and additional salt to taste.
- Serve with pine nuts, parmesan or nutritional yeast.
Notes
- You can substitute garlic powder for fresh garlic (about 1 teaspoon) but the salad will not have the same flavor. I highly recommend using fresh garlic for this recipe.
