Hale to the Kale Salad

Today I am shipping out Unprocessed by Chef AJ to this giveaway's lucky winner, and thought that I would feature my favorite recipe I've tried so far from the book: Chef AJ's Hale to the Kale Salad.  I have to say, this recipe had opened me up so much more to the world of raw kale!  Previously, I used kale most often in soups or sautes, but very rarely did I eat it raw other than in smoothies.  The dressing for this recipe does have almond butter in it, so it is not low in fat, but it is oil-free.  I find that it has the perfect blend of spicy, savory, and tanginess.  Just delicious!

Before we get to the recipe, here is some great information about this awesome green vegetable that I found on Pinterest.  To follow my Pinterest boards follow this link.

Hale to the Kale Salad

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch of kale, stems removed, washed, and roughly chopped
• 1/2 c almond butter, natural and raw
• 1/2 c water, or coconut water
• 1/4 c fresh lime juice, or lemon juice (~1 lemon)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/2" fresh peeled ginger
• 1 Tbsp low sodium Tamari, or soy sauce
• 2 pitted dates
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, more to taste

Directions:  In a high-powered blender, add all ingredients (except for kale) and blend until smooth and creamy.  Dip a leaf of kale into the dressing to taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.  Pour some of the dressing onto the chopped kale leaves and massage the salad with tongs or your hands.  Add more dressing if needed to cover the salad completely.  Save any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge.  Serve the salad cold plain, or with any seeds or nuts you prefer.

Amy's Notes:  The recipe for the dressing I have featured is half of the original in Chef AJ's book.  I found it plenty to cover 1 bunch of kale, but the original recipe is for 2 bunches of kale.  Next time I make it, I will be making the full recipe with 2 bunches because it is just that good!  I like to sprinkle Chef AJ's recipe of faux parmesan (recipe found on this blog post) on top of this salad for some cheezy flavor.  This salad also keeps very will in the fridge.  Chef AJ notes in her book that "Like a woman, this salad gets better with time."  My pictures of the recipe include spinach because I didn't have quite enough kale.  I found this to be a good addition to get even more greens in!

What is your favorite way to eat kale?