Massage Your Salad!

Have you ever had a salad that just blows you away? I just used my hands to make a “Massaged Kale Salad” and I’m in heaven. While I normally don’t post recipes on my blog, this one I have to share because it is absolutely delicious, super healthy, and hey, it has something to do with massage.

Kale is an amazingly nutritious leafy green vegetable. It contains high amounts of beta carotene and vitamin C. It’s also rich in minerals and high in folic acid. This ‘Superfood’ is a low in carbs and high in protein. One cup of cooked kale contains :
– 50 Calories
– 10 gm of Carbohydrates
– 3 gm of protein
– 2 to 3 gm of fiber
– 8000 IUs Vitamin A
– 150 to 200 mg of Calcium
– 30 mg of Magnesium
– 2 mg of Iron
– 300 mg of Potassium
– 125 mg of Vitamin C
– Less than 50 mg of Sodium
– 40 mcg of Folic acid

The high calcium and magnesium content of kale helps in building bones and is great for preventing osteoporosis. Vitamin A and C are antioxidants that protect against many degenerative diseases. The high potassium and low sodium content of Kale makes it an alkaline food and helps those who suffer from acidity and other digestive disorders. Potassium also reduces blood pressure and helps in fighting heart disease. Being a cruciferous vegetable, Kale contains sulfur compounds which help in fighting cancer.
Now, onto my new favorite salad…

Michelle’s Massaged Kale Salad

1 bunch curly kale
½ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled & grated
1 avocado, cubed
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2-4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Rinse kale and tear the leaves from the stem. Rip them into smaller pieces. Place in a big bowl with the quinoa, onion, carrot, and avocado.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, and sea salt.

Now, here’s the fun part: With both hands firmly massage all the ingredients together. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Massage the avocado into the kale so that it smooshes and there are no more chunks. Do this for about one minute so that all the leaves are covered with the dressing. This massage, together with the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, helps to tenderize the kale.

Finally, add the tomatoes, gently toss the salad, and put it into the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. I like to make this salad the day before I plan to eat it and let all the juices sink in. Remember, the longer it stays in the fridge, the better it gets!

Just before serving, give it a hearty round of freshly ground pepper and taste to see if it needs more salt.
You can beef up this recipe with more grated carrot, avocado and additional quinoa if you like. ENJOY!