I love kale, and lucky for me, it is in the share quite often! I have to be honest though…I didn’t always love kale. I was with a large group of non-believers who only thought it was bitter and too much of a jaw workout. If you are hesitant like I was, and are running out of desire for using your kale to make more smoothies and kale chips, let me teach you a magical little trick!

Massaged Kale and Quinoa Salad

That’s right, you are going to massage your kale. By working a few simple ingredients into the leaves of kale, it will help break down the kale, making it easier to digest, taste sweeter, and have a much more desirable texture (I’m telling you, the texture is seriously fantastic!). You can add anything you want to this salad, using the kale as a foundation. I personally love the contrast of textures when kale and quinoa have been mixed together. Plus, this salad is rich in nutrients thanks to the superfoods it contains. BONUS!

I know it’s winter, and the holidays, which may make a salad seem out of turn. But believe me, this will hopefully make a kale believer out of you as it did me! And who doesn’t need a good healthy meal in between all of those Christmas cookies and egg nog? 😉

Massaged Kale and Quinoa Salad
A few bunches of kale
1/2 small lemon
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup quinoa (already prepared)

Start by separating the leaves of the kale from their stems. Continue to tear the leaves into smaller pieces, or chop them up. Into a bowl, add your kale leaves, juice from your lemon (just enough to coat the leaves a bit), and a pinch of salt. Last, drizzle your olive oil over the leaves. Using clean hands, massage the oil and lemon juice into the leaves, until they start to feel soft and become a vibrant, glistening green color.

You now have massaged kale! Add your quinoa, and whatever other ingredients you would like. I usually add avocado, tomato, a little garlic powder and black pepper, and drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar. You could also add any type of meat you would like to the dish. With this base recipe, the possibilities are endless!

Bon appetit!