Easy & Healthy Kale Salad Recipe
In my family, I am known as “The Salad Queen.” For every event I am asked to whip up my favorite greens, veggies, and homemade dressing. Now, I have had my fair share of salads, but I’m always looking for an easy, healthy, and fresh recipe to bring along to the next party. My love affair with Caesar, Caprese, BBQ Chicken, Cobb, and more started as a teenager. And if you ask my husband, it’s still my go-to order at restaurants. Luckily in San Diego there are tons of healthy eats around town, and hundreds of delicious salad creations to choose from.One of our favorites can be found at Kettner Exchange, a hip eatery in Little Italy. While some venture to Kettner for their signature cocktails, I make a reservation...for the Kale Salad. After a dozen or so trips to Kettner Exchange for their salad, my husband and I decided to give the recipe a try at home. The result: pure deliciousness!Looking for a easy and mouthwatering salad to bring to your next party? Give this Kettner Exchange-inspired salad a try, and your guests will be going back for seconds (guaranteed).[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:2]Hungry for a kale salad? Me too. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Lacinato, or Italian, Kale comes in large leaves with a big stem in the middle. The stem is not meant for eating, so be sure to remove those!One thing that makes Kettner Exchange’s salad stand out is how they prepare the kale. It is chopped very fine, which makes it great for mixing with the other ingredients. Normally this would be a lot of knife work, but we’ve found a great little trick. After you remove the leaf greens from the stems, throw them in the food processor. Pulse the food processor until the kale is finely chopped. Simple!Kale needs acid to soften the leaves, so after throwing it all into the bowl, be sure to toss in some lemon juice and let it sit for a bit.
Step 2: Chop up apples and top your salad. How many? This really depends on how much you love apples :) But, I recommend one apple for four servings.
Step 3: Top your salad with raisins, grated parmesan, and sliced almonds.
Step 4: Make your dressing. Because we’ve already dressed the kale with some lemon juice, we’ll use a higher ratio of oil to acid compared to standard dressings. Use about 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy! I am always searching for healthy and easy salad recipes to make a bowl of lettuce a bit more exciting :) Grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cheeses, and more. What are your favorite salad toppings and recipes? Let me know in the comment section below!