Immunity: Massaged Kale Salad
- October 29, 2021
- Ashley Tyrner
Prep
15 mins
cook
0 mins
serves
1.5
Kale is a staple green food in my household. Even before it became trendy and found its way into green juices and such, I’ve always had a love for this dense veggie. Today’s recipe is a massaged salad, and the keyword here is massaged. It is usually what’s missing from people’s attempts at preparing kale. Because kale is so thick, massaging and almost marinating the leaves for a bit of time is vital for making it taste good, especially for those who are new to kale. Let’s get right into it…What even is kale?
Kale is essentially a type of cruciferous cabbage leaf that can be green or purple. There are several different types including curly (the most common), Lacinato, Ornamental, and even Chinese kale. The leaves are typically taller than most other lettuces and have tough, thick stems. Simple ways to consume all of its nutrients are to juice kale or throw it into a smoothie. My favorite methods however include sauteing, steaming, making kale crisps, or as in today’s recipe massaging the leaves into a delicious, healthy salad.
Nutritional Benefits
Most people eat kale despite not liking the taste at first because it is quite the superfood. Its dark, green leaves are filled with the phytonutrient chlorophyll, which helps detoxify your blood, increase energy, and boost your immune system. Here are some additional benefits of eating kale:
- Nutrient-Dense – Kale contains several vitamins and minerals that help the body remain strong and healthy. It is a rich source of vitamin A, a crucial nutrient for eye and bone health, along with vitamin K, which supports blood clotting in the body. Not only that, but kale has the B vitamin folate, which contributes to healthy cell growth. To give you an idea of how much of a superfood kale actually is, one cup of raw kale contains:
-
- Vitamin A: 206% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
- Manganese: 26% of the DV
- Calcium: 9% of the DV
- Copper: 10% of the DV
- Potassium: 9% of the DV
- Magnesium: 6% of the DV
- Blood health – As mentioned above, kale is rich in chlorophyll. This natural plant pigment has a chemical structure similar to that of hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen throughout the body. Chlorophyll also builds up the quality of red blood cells, which is essential to healthy blood flow.
- Supports healthy digestion – Kale is one of the several plant-based foods that supports healthy digestion. This dark, leafy green is filled with fiber, amongst several other minerals that support a strong gut microbiome. Don’t be afraid to eat the stems as they are filled with intestine-supporting prebiotics.
How To Eat More Kale
Kale deserves the leading role as the ultimate superfood on any plate. That being said, there are many different ways to eat kale for those who want to receive all of its powerful nutritional benefits. One way to eat it is by lightly steaming the leaves (make sure to chop them up) in some olive oil and a little bit of water. This is one of my preferred methods for creating a simple side dish. I can make a large batch and then any time I want to add some more green to my meal, I’ll reheat some of the steamed kale. Another option for eating more kale without having the taste of it is to toss it into your smoothies. Much like spinach, so long as you add a banana into your smoothie as well, you can’t even taste the vegetable! This is powerful for morning smoothies when you want to eat something lite, quick, and something that will kickstart your day with vitamins and minerals. My third recommendation is in line with today’s salad recipe, as it relates to massaging kale. Allowing dressing to soak into kale’s thicker leaves is key for when you want to eat it as is in its raw form. Just spending a couple of minutes working olive oil, dressing, or whichever sauce of your choice into the bite-sized pieces, makes each bite incredibly flavorable.
When thinking about how to include more healthy foods like kale into your diet, I recommend using our service FarmboxRx. We are a fresh fruit and vegetable delivery service covering the continental U.S., and we source high-quality kale to include in our boxes. Each box is filled with seasonal produce to help make eating healthy easier for you and your family. We make sure fresh produce is delivered to your door so that you always have nutritious ingredients to incorporate into your recipes and experiment with along your health journey.
Now let’s jump right into this massaged kale salad recipe. Be sure to try it out for yourself and give us a tag at @FarmboxRx and make sure to use the hashtag #FarmboxRx #FarmboxLiving so that we can see how the recipe turns out.
Ingredients
20 dino kale leaves, about 2 bunches
1 whole navel orange, half juiced for dressing
½ cup pepitas
1 tbsp olive oil
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 inch ginger
1 clove garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
optional garnish: 2 tsp sesame seeds
Directions
- Prepare kale. Remove stems from kale and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Place in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands, crunch the kale to massage it until it is tender and darker in color, about 1-2 minutes.
- Peel orange and set aside half for the dressing. Using a small paring knife, carefully cut the flesh of the orange from its membrane. Add the orange slices to the kale.
- Prepare dressing by juicing half of the navel orange and mincing ginger. Whisk remaining olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil until combined.
- Drizzle the dressing over the kale, top with pepitas, and toss until combined. Portion into salad bowls and garnish with sesame seeds before enjoying.
Immunity: Massaged Kale Salad
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 20 Dino kale leaves about 2 bunches
- 1 whole navel orange half juiced for dressing
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sesame seeds optional garnish
Instructions
- Prepare kale. Remove stems from kale and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Place in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands, crunch the kale to massage it until it is tender and darker in color, about 1-2 minutes.
- Peel orange and set aside half for the dressing. Using a small paring knife, carefully cut the flesh of the orange from its membrane. Add the orange slices to the kale.
- Prepare dressing by juicing half of the navel orange and mincing ginger. Whisk remaining olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil until combined.
- Drizzle the dressing over the kale, top with pepitas, and toss until combined. Portion into salad bowls and garnish with sesame seeds before enjoying.