This is the best salad ever, no joke! It is hearty enough to be a complete meal or as a super side dish.
I was craving a hearty salad and this is what I came up with. Not only is the kale and all the other veggies super good for you the wild rice is a complete protein. I love making up a dish that I have never seen before, especially when it turns out this tasty : )
The little bit of tarragon adds such a great flavor and complements the blood orange dressing really well.
I can’t believe it took me so long to try kale. My mom was always trying to get me to try it but it just looked to gnarly for me. My friend Christine made for me and now I can’t get enough of it.
Recipe: 4 – 8 Servings
1 Recipe Wild Rice
1 Cup or to taste Savory Blood Orange Vinaigrette
1 Head of Kale or 7 Cups Chopped (I used Lacinato kale)
1 Cup Finely Shredded Manchego Cheese
3/4 Cup Sliced Radishes
1 Orange Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Shredded Carrot
1/2 Cup Minced Red Cabbage
1/2 Cup Minced Green Garlic (or green onion if you can’t find it)
1/2 Cup Micro Sprouts of your choice
1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
1/4 Cup Fresh Tarragon (optional but oh so good)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions:
First start the rice and make the dressing
Wash the kale and tear off main rib by holding the end of the stem and sliding off the leaves then chop in to thin strips
Put the kale in a large bowl with the olive oil and massage the oil in to the kale then add the rice and dressing and mix together. (you can either completely cool the rice or add it in warm, I like it slightly warm)
Shred the cheese, slice the radishes, julienne or dice the bell pepper, shred the carrots, mince the cabbage, thinly slice the garlic greens, strip the leaves of the tarragon and mince and measure everything along with the almonds then add everything to the bowl and mix together, YUMMM : )
Health Benefits:
Kale is low in calories, high in fiber and it is a loaded with antioxidants which helps detox the liver. It is also an anti-inflammatory with omega-3 fatty acids, which is helpful for arthritis, joint pain and asthma. Kale has more Iron than beef and more calcium than milk which helps prevents osteoporosis, joint flexibility and helps maintain normal bone health. It is great for cardiovascular support that helps in lowering cholesterol. It is really high in vitamin A, C, and super high in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K (anyone taking anticoagulants should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K that may interfere with the drugs.) More on kale
Wild rice is a good source of fiber there for it helps with digestion and to lower cholesterol. It is a complete protein, and has twice as much protein as brown rice. Wild rice contains all of the essential amino acids, but it’s a bit low in lysine. It is extremely high in antioxidants so regular consumption protects you from disease and ageing. A serving of wild rice is lower in calories than other any other rice and provides 15 percent of the recommended daily value of zinc. It has good sources of essential minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, folate, Vitamin B6, and niacin.
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Purple Kale Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Mexican Salad with Cilantro Jalapeno Vinaigrette
Black Lentil Salad with Fennel and Tangerine Champagne Vinaigrette