Recipe: Seedy Kale Salad

I am the queen of the kale salad for potlucks, but I also take every opportunity to dabble with a new recipe. Inspired by the infamous Kale Salad at Gusto 101, this salad was originally created for a Friday night dinner potluck amongst the ladies. To accommodate the high maintenance dieters and kosher folks, instead of cheese or meat, we tripled down on the seed factor and added the island flavour of coconut. Sometimes, you do make friends with salad.

Pro Tip: To really make this salad into a meal, feel free to top off with a protein, like chicken, steak or tofu!

Seedy Kale Salad

Ingredients

Salad 1 Large head of purple kale, sliced in thin strips ½ Cup of Chia seeds ½ Cup of Sunflower seeds ½ Cup of Pumpkin seeds ½ Cup of Shredded coconut ¾ Cup of Craisins 10 Cremini mushrooms, chopped 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil

Dressing 4 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice 2 Tablespoons of white wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon of honey Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. For salad: place all salad ingredients in a large salad/mixing bowl, except for the mushrooms and coconut oil. Kale first, then pile the seeds and extras on top.
2. Melt coconut oil in a frying pan and sauté mushrooms until golden. Set aside to cool.
3. For dressing: combine all ingredients in small bowl. Stir thoroughly for the salt and honey to dissolve into the dressing.
4. Pour dressing over salad, and toss with your hands while massaging the kale.
5. Add mushrooms and lightly toss.
6. Leave alone for at least 10 minutes before serving, allowing for the kale to further tenderize.
7. Serve!

To learn a bit more about the health benefits of Kale, check out this article from Well-Being Secrets. With 23 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Kale, there's plenty to get to know!