Sweet & Crunchy Kale Salad

“I’ll have a big salad.”

— Me (and Elaine Benes)

Who doesn’t love a big salad? It has got to be one of my favorite things to eat for lunch. I love this salad because it has a satisfying crunch, sweet apples and cranberries, salty feta, and delicious toasted pecans. The dressing is quick and made with basic pantry ingredients. This dish can be served alongside pasta or top with a protein for a satisfying lunch. The best part? You can make it ahead of time! Kale is such a sturdy green that it does really well holding up against dressing for a few hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 cups curly or lacinato kale, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup toasted pecans

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced

• 1/4 feta cheese

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/4 tsp honey

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

• 2-4 tbsp. olive oil

• Salt and Pepper

Recipe

1. Grate 1 clove of garlic on a rasp into the bottom of a large bowl

2. Add Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Whisk until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like a 1:1 ratio of oil to vinegar but I prefer a tart salad. If that’s not your style, do a 2:1 ratio of oil to vinegar.

3. Add finely chopped kale on top of the dressing and toss until thorough coated in the dressing. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to allow the kale to tenderize. If you want to accelerate this process, actively toss the kale in the dressing for a few minutes until the leaves are tenderized.

4. Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat until slightly browned and fragrant. Be careful not to walk away as they are easy to burn!

5. Add the cranberries, walnuts, apple slices, and feta to the kale.

6. Toss and divide over 4 plates (or 2 plates if you can shovel salad like I can).