PP: Berry Balsamic Kale Salad

Chef:  Katie Mae
Makes:  6 Cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch of kale

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 pound strawberries (other berries will also work), quartered

• 1 cucumber, de-seeded and diced

• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar*

• ½ cup fresh mint, diced

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove the stem from the kale. Rough chop into large bite-size pieces and add kale to a medium-size bowl. Add the lime juice.

2. Massage the kale with your hands until kale is your preferred tenderness, for as little as 30 seconds or up to 5 minutes. The longer the kale is massaged for the softer it will be, which correlates to easier to chew and digest. I like to massage the kale for about a minute.

3. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well so the balsamic vinegar evenly coats the kale and fruit. It’s best if you can set the salad aside for 10 minutes to let the flavors mingle before serving.

TIPS

1. Aged balsamic vinegar is sweeter than regular balsamic vinegar. The labels are not always clear to which is a sweeter product.

2. Look for the acidity level, which is usually near the bottom of the front label. Regular balsamic vinegar is 6% acidity and Aged balsamic vinegar is 4% acidity.

3. Two tablespoons of the aged vinegar is sweet, but not too sweet. Three tablespoons may seem like a dessert salad! This may be helpful in serving kids (or adults) who are not fond of kale. Note, these measurements are for a good size bunch of kale—adjust as needed.

Find more recipes from Katie Mae at PlantzSt.com.