And I’m pretty serious too.
Ugh. I know — this feels a little out of character for me.
But don’t you want to bite into that cherry?
Full disclosure: I’d been in California all week, surviving on quinoa and bean burgers among other things. I knew I’d be traveling until late that night, and a few days after making this kale salad I also made those bean burgers again — they were that good. I might even put them on the table the instant I get home. They’re dangerously addictive.
I’ll admit I felt a little giddy sharing a week of quinoa, kale and beans. It felt oddly mischievous. Also, my phone had a hilarious autocorrect streak, changing “totally” to “orally,” which made for some very funny and very awkward messages all day. So yeah — weird week.
I’ve joked before that I can only eat kale as chips — roasted until crisp and super salty. Still, I wanted to learn to enjoy kale in other forms. Raw curly kale used to intimidate me, so I knew I needed a dressing that would make it irresistible. I’m obsessed with a local restaurant’s strawberry vinaigrette, so I used that as inspiration.
With avocado and crunchy toasted almonds added, I massaged the kale with the strawberry dressing, let it rest, then tossed everything together. The result? I actually ate it — twice. That’s a big step for me.
Triple Berry Kale Salad
Serves 4
- 1 head curly kale, leaves removed from stems and torn
- 1 cup fresh tart cherries, pitted and sliced
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 2/3 cup chopped toasted almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Place the torn kale in a large bowl and add about 1/4 cup of the strawberry vinaigrette. Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands, then let it sit for 5–10 minutes to soften.
Add the salt, pepper, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and avocado. Add a few more tablespoons of dressing and toss gently to combine. Finish by sprinkling the toasted almonds on top and serve.
Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette
- 3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- Pinch of cinnamon
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a couple of days.
The end. It kind of feels like a little food fairy tale, doesn’t it?