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Farmer’s Market Kale Salad

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I know that one of the most persistent comments I hear about going to the farmer’s market is “I love getting fresh veggies, but I don’t know what to make with half of these ingredients!” I myself have fallen into that rut myself. But I’ve made it a point to be intentional about my farmer’s market shopping, picking out recipes that I’ll actually make and eat. I’m dedicated to living healthier and just love knowing that all the little pieces of fresh veggies go to work inside my body. So, maybe I’ll make “farmer’s market recipes” part of my new blogging repertoire. We’ll see;) I usually only like to make simple things. I also like things that can be tweaked based on what I have on-hand. If that’s your jam, stay tuned.

So, kale! It looks like something you probably never want to touch. It’s such a weird thick lettuce-y vegetable that no one knows what to do with, let alone WANTS to do anything with. I happen to love it when prepared right. The secret is in the marinade. You have to marinate kale to soften it up and give it good flavor. You have to massage the marinade in so it really absorbs, like sunscreen on the human body. See how that sounds like more like an “interaction” than a recipe? You actually have to interact with the kale to get it how you want it.


Farmer’s Market Kale Salad

Ingredients
1 bunch kale
4 green onions, chopped (also from the farmer’s market)

Toppings
2 Tbsp craisins
2 Tbsp almonds
2 oz cheese, cubed (found THE best mushroom cheese at the market)
Other toppings of choice (other nuts, raisins, cherry tomatoes, feta, etc)

Dressing
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil


Directions
Shred the kale and put it in a bowl. Toss in diced green onions, cheese and toppings of choice. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Massage the dressing into the kale. You might even want to put the salad into a plastic container with a lid and shake it up, especially before serving. That’s it!

This is the one type of salad where you actually want the leaves to “marinate” in the dressing. They won’t get soggy! It will only taste better. If you want to add other greens to your salad, add before serving so they don’t get soggy.

What would you buy at the farmer’s market if you knew what to do with it?