salads
kale
brunch
entertaining
holiday
healthy recipes
at home

Rach's Christmas Eve brunch includes this healthy and festive kale salad. It's a nice all-around contrast to the other dishes on her menu: Grilled Panettone or Raisin Challah with Whipped Honey, 5-Cheese Frittata and John's Blood Orange Mimosa. One of the great things about using kale in a salad, she says, is that if you have any leftovers, it's great the next day. The greens hold up to the dressing and don't get soggy. But if you don't like kale, she adds, no problem! Just sub romaine or gem romaine or mix in some red lettuce or use whatever lettuce you want.
 

Ingredients

For the Crouton and Nut Mixture:
  • 4 cups torn or cubed white peasant bread, about 4 ounces
  • ½ cup smoked almonds, processed to small bits
  • ½ cup Sicilian pistachios, toasted and pulse processed
  • 3 tablespoons EVOO
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons paprika or pimenton
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepperoncini or red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
For the Dressing:
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or pasted
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons light agave or acacia honey OR 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • About 1/3 cup EVOO
For the Salad:
  • ½ small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large bunches flat kale (lacinato), dried after cleaning, stemmed and shredded ½ inch (chop just before dressing the salad)
  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 cup packed greens: flat-parsley leaves, mint leaves, celery leaves

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

For the crouton and nut mixture, pulse-chop the bread in a food processor into large crumbs, then remove. Pulse chop the nuts, then remove. 

Heat oil over medium heat in skillet, add bread, salt and pepper, paprika, thyme and ground pepperoncini and toast until deep golden. Combine with nuts and fresh parsley and reserve.

For the dressing, let vinegar sit with shallots, garlic and I ½ teaspoons salt for a few minutes. Add 1 teaspoon pepper, then whisk in agave or honey or molasses and EVOO. 

For the salad, combine the ingredients in large bowl and toss with dressing to coat. Add half the croutons and nuts, toss and garnish with the remaining mixture.