Technology is supposed to be our friend, making our lives easier. Each year, the list of devices we have seems to grow a little longer: cell phones, computers, tablets, e-readers, iPods… How are we supposed to keep track of all of this stuff?!?
A few days ago my computer decided to wipe my camera’s SD card clean before I could upload the pictures for this week’s post. As if I didn’t already have enough on my mind ahead of Thanksgiving! It was a bummer, but I tried not to get too down about it. The good news? I got to prepare and photograph another favorite for this post!
It worked out perfectly. Turns out Evan had signed up to bring a green salad for his office potluck lunch this week, and with our crazy schedule, he asked if I would mind whipping one up for him.
This is, if I may be so bold, a great salad recipe. It’s hearty and tangy, and has proven a real crowd-pleaser at our dinner table time and time again. You will need fresh kale, dried cranberries, pine nuts, a red onion, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, a lemon, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Wash and dry the kale. A salad spinner is a great way to get this done quickly. Remove the ribs and cut the leaves into strips. You will need about 6 cups of kale for this salad. One good-sized bunch should be more than enough.
Place the kale in a large salad bowl. Top it with 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup raw pine nuts, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes, and 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese.
That was easy, right?
To make your dressing, juice one lemon. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to the lemon juice. Whisk it all together or place it into a jar and shake until evenly mixed.
Pour the dressing over the salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving. The longer you let it sit, the better and tangier it will be! Enjoy!
Winter Kale Salad
Prep time: 15 minutes
6 cups kale
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raw pine nuts
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1) Wash and dry the kale. Remove the ribs and cut the leaves into strips.
2) Place the kale in a large salad bowl. Top it with 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup raw pine nuts, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes, and 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese.
3) Juice one lemon. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to the lemon juice. Whisk it all together or place it into a jar and shake until evenly mixed.
4) Pour the dressing over the salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving. Enjoy!
Salad, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Side Dishes
Marta in Michigan 
Yum! Very similar to the regular salad we make in our house on the weekly! We add in cucumber and bell peppers too though 🙂
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This looks so good! Love kale!
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