OK so I tend to binge—both on food and on catching up on blogging. Luckily my actual food binges tend to be on the healthier side and this time it is salads. Yes! I have not one but TWO salads for you to try! Both involve kale because in about two weeks it will be one of the most readily available locally grown vegetables here in MN. 

Creamy Kale Strawberry Salad

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup avocado guts (I’m talking the green innards minus the pit but that doesn’t sound as funny), or 
• 3 Tbs Tahini
• 2 Tbs Lemon juice
• ¼ tsp garlic
• Up to 4 Tbs water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients:

• 13oz kale or 2 large bunches, washed, de-stemmed and ripped/chopped into 1 in pieces
• 1/2 strawberries, de-stemmed and cut in halves
• 1 tsp oil

Method:

In a large skillet, heat the oil and start cooking the kale. It will be ready when it changes from an ashy pale green to a deep brilliant green. Try to get it when it has just turned color, before it gets too wilted and soggy!

To make the dressing, measure the tahini into a small bowl. Mash the avocado into the tahini paste, making an avocado tahini paste. Add in the garlic and lemon juice and mix well. Slowly add in the water until it has reached a consistency similar to maple syrup (just thin enough to pour easily) or to your desired consistency. Place the kale in a bowl, add the dressing and strawberries until everything is well coated, and serve.

Orange Edamame and Kale Salad

It’s double orange here because the dressing is orange and it has oranges in it! This one made an appearance at a friend’s sushi party this past weekend. I had a lot of kale (see comment above) and so I figured let’s get rid of some of it and top it with one of the classic salad dressings served at Japanese restaurants. Vegans and omnivores alike enjoyed it and wanted the recipe, so I why not share it publicly?

Carrot Ginger Dressing:

• 1 carrot
• 1 Tbs minced red onion
• 2 Tbs finely chopped ginger root
• ¼ c sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp oil
• ½ tsp agave
• 1 ½ tsp sugar
• 2 tsp miso
• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients:

• 13oz kale or 2 large bunches, washed, de-stemmed and ripped/chopped into 1 in pieces
• 1 tsp oil
• One orange, segmented 
• 1 cup shelled and cooked Edamame (aka soybeans)

Method:

Mix all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the kale (see method in recipe above). Transfer the kale to a large bowl and allow to cool. In the meantime segment the orange by first removing the outer peel. Then, using a small knife, carefully remove the outer membrane from each wedge. Cut each wedge into thirds. Add to the kale along with the edamame and dressing. Toss well and serve.