Ola my friend! Salads are so fun (also easy) to make and eat any time of the year. I had so much fun making this red kale salad recipe with pears and other fresh vegetables. This red kale salad recipe is inspired by the vegetables I had sitting in my fridge at the time (more on that in the meal inspiration section) lol. The veggies that go in salads are so colorful and the layering experience can be quite relaxing and tranquil. So I like to take my time preparing the salad and also eating the salad, savoring every flavorful bite.
Salads are simple meals and easy to experiment with. It is rewarding to try different combinations of vegetables and fruits and know you are getting the nutrients (i.e. vitamins, minerals, proteins) your body crave from excellent sources. I hope you enjoy making and eating this red kale salad recipe with pears and other vegetables. Feel free to make this red kale salad recipe yours own and tweak to your liking and/or tastes. I would love to hear what you tried and how it turned out!
Salad Ingredients
- Red Kale
- Cucumbers
- Roma Tomato
- Black Olives
- Black Beans
- Yellow Onion
- Bartlett Pears
- Sunflower seeds (unsalted)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Bragg’s Organic Vinaigrette Dressing & Marinade
- 1 tbsp Coconut Palm Sugar
- 2 tsp Vegan/Plant Butter
- 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Lemon Pepper
Instructions
- Prepare all vegetables and fruit by washing thoroughly, rinsing and chopping into bite sized square chunks. I like to massage the kale under running water and remove all stems. I also like to peel off the skin of cucumbers.
- Add red kale to bowl and layer cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, black olives, black beans, and yellow onions, sunflower seeds and pears. Set aside
- For the dressing, add Bragg’s organic vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, coconut palm sugar, plant butter, and lemon pepper in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 60 seconds. I prefer the microwave for heating because I can better control how warm the dressing gets. The goal is to warm the dressing just enough for the ingredients to mix well. You do not want boiling hot dressing in this case.
- Allow the dressing glaze to cool and then drizzle lightly on top of salad
Note: I like to layer this red kale salad recipe but you can toss it or layer it per your desire.
Health Benefits
To highlight a few benefits:
- Red Kale: a rich source of vitamin A, and vitamin C, iron, protein, dietary fiber among others. From research I learned that it is abundant in anthocyanins and other phyto-chemicals known to fight cancer. Check out more details here. I believe eating it raw is a plus. I ran across some writings that you should not eat it raw unless you want a stomach ache but in my experience this has never happened. Please wash thoroughly and massaging the leaves always help make them more tender.
- Pears: are hands down sweet and delightful. So far, I can always count on pears to be sweet. They are a great source of Vitamin C, folate, potassium, copper among others. You may be interested know that pears contains great levels of polyphenols antioxidants which fights oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and other illnesses.
Meal Inspiration
It was a beautiful, cold and sunny day. Generally I eat soups and stews during the winter but I had a desire for a fresh salad. I had red kale that seemed to not diminish after every time I consumed some lol. I was tired of looking at the red kale and did not want to freeze it. In my mind I pictured a red kale salad of sorts but decided it will have to be based on the ingredients I had readily available. I like challenging myself to take what I have and seeing if I can make a dish that is not only healthy but also tasty. Mission accomplished with this one! Hello to the best red kale salad recipe I know!
The dressing was a 100% spur of the moment creation. Looking at the vegetable colors, I imagined tasting a dressing that would go well. I felt a vinegar of sorts would work but I like extra sweet to balance the tanginess. I had Bragg’s organic vinaigrette which contains a lot of great ingredients, however, I am not able to eat this dressing by itself. It is entirely too strong for my tastebuds. I was able to balance it out with the coconut sugar, balsamic vinegar and lemon pepper. The vegan butter and coconut sugar helped create a thick glaze that drizzled nicely over the red kale salad.
Until Next Time
Ok friends, this red kale salad recipe is a keeper and go-to when you need something refreshing, healthy and filling. I was so surprised at how the dressing turned out because I never tried it before. Never be afraid to try new things because you may discover your new favorite! I am hooked. I am all for helping you satisfy your sweet tooth by any means necessary. The pears are such a great compliment to this red kale salad recipe. If you want more simple meals to try then check out this surprisingly tasty and simple lettuce & brown rice bowl.
Well, I will take my leave for now. I look forward to our time together again soon. Be inspired to have an appetite to live and live well.
Adaeze
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