Salad ruts can be a real problem. Maybe you’re a better planner than I am, but too often I find myself scrambling, raiding the usual suspects in my veggie crisper to throw together the same old boring salad to green-ify our dinner. It typically goes something like this: spinach or romaine, slivers of onion, slices of bell pepper, maybe an avocado if I’m lucky, and basic vinaigrette. It gets the job done, sure. I dutifully eat my greens, but time after time, it becomes a real snooze-fest.
And it’s a shame, because a good salad can be such a pleasure. Beautiful produce in its natural state, a contrast of textures, a tangle of harmonious yet unexpected components… Really, I’ve slacked long enough. I want to be eating good salads. Great salads. Mind-blowing salads! I want to gasp, not yawn!
If you run into the same challenges, I’m going to recommend that you try this incredible kale slaw. It’s everything I dream of in a salad… Virtuous greens. A kaleidoscope of nutritious colors. Formidable crunch. Grainy mustard as the perfect counterpoint to sweet apples and carrot shreds. Cashews for pure luxury.
The most practical thing about kale salads: when you leave them dressed in the fridge, they just get better. The kale greens are sturdy enough that they don’t wilt and disintegrate like wimpier lettuces. So make-ahead to pack in your lunch, and have no fear!
I got this recipe from Shutterbean, who knows her way around a good salad. She nailed it, naturally, so my only real adaptations were proportions and to account for ingredients I didn’t have on hand.Β I love everything hemp, but I have trouble finding the seeds in stores. For the next batch, I’m seeking them out. Great salads are worth it!
Do you struggle with slacker salads? Or maybe you have a mind-blowing specimen to recommend? Let me know!
Adapted, barely, from Shutterbean
In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and lime juice. Add the kale, cabbage, carrot, onion, parsley and half of the cashews; toss well. Add the apple last, gently tossing to keep the delicate julienne intact. Top the salad with the rest of the cashews and eat voraciously.
https://flavorrd.com/2014/01/favorite-kale-slaw/
Anything with cashews, seriously, has my heart.
I’m with you! I would try this salad with other nuts in a pinch, but it would make me sad.