If you follow me on Instagram, then you’ll see my garden and you’ll see why I made my Feel West Coast: Kale-ifornia Salad Recipe. Right now, my garden is pumping out kale left and right! Seriously…it’s amazing! If you told me a few years ago when I was living in NYC that I would one day have a kale patch and harvest it to eat myself nearly daily, I would have jumped for joy (and not believed it at first!).
Since the benefits of kale shine so brightly, it only makes sense for me to make a new kale salad recipe to share with you.
Even though my kale plants are growing so quickly, it will be easy for me to go through it all. Between adding kale into my morning GGS, and using it to make this delicious Kale-ifornia Salad, I am thinking I might need to double my kale plants for next season!
Kale-ifornia Crop = Kale Salad Recipe
Kale is extremely popular on the west coast. During this time of year, you can easily find it at any of our farmer’s markets in California. Likely due to the fact that kale grows rather easily in warmer climates. If you visit any of our local healthy restaurants, you’re almost guaranteed to see kale use in dish or two.
And us West coasters, well, we really do LOVE OUR KALE! But you can be a kale lover pretty much where ever you are! Especially if you want to try growing your own (tips below).
I planted my kale crop in February, and have been fortunate enough to enjoy it all summer long. Due to the fact that we are having some extreme heat waves on the west coast, I have to keep an eye on it and make sure no aphids are trying to make a home in my beautiful greens. Luckily I was able to harvest this last batch of kale with no problem! Making it super easy to put together my new kale salad recipe.
Quick tips to growing kale:
#1. If you are going to harvest fresh kale from a garden, do it in the morning while the dew is still on the leaves. Always pick the outer leaves and leave your center leaves to keep growing.
#2. If you see any aphids on your kale, soak your kale in a bowl of salted water. Those little guys will come off easily and you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of kale as you eat your salad with peace of mind!
The Benefits of Kale 101
Kale is an amazing source of plant protein. It is also packed with phytochemicals, fiber and chlorophyll — a major blood builder — which helps promote glowing skin and many other beauty benefits.
When you make this kale salad recipe, be happy to know you are about to treat your body with an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. So grab a pen and write this down if you want to remember them all, because the list is long!
- vitamin K + vitamin C + vitamin A + manganese + copper + vitamin B6 + fiber + calcium + potassium + vitamin E + vitamin B2 + iron + magnesium + vitamin B1 + omega-3 fats + phosphorus + protein + folate + vitamin B3.
No wonder why we love kale so much on the West coast. But no matter where we are in the world, we can all learn to love kale also!
The Benefits of Fennel 101
I’m adding fennel in this kale salad recipe to hype up the nutritional value even more. Like kale, fennel also has a long list of benefits! To name just a few, fennel can help with constipation, it can help to strengthen our immune system, and it can help us ladies with menstrual disorders.
In fact, do you know what else I love that helps with digestion and constipation? Learn more about Detoxy+ here!
If you have yet to venture out and try fennel my friend, I highly recommend you do so! Yes, fennel has an aromatic smell. I hear it often as compared to black licorice. But I promise you Beauties, fennel tastes far better! It has a light quality about it and has a similar crunch to celery. I personally don’t love licorice (eek!) but I love fennel. It’s more subtle.
When you are getting fennel for my kale salad recipe, be on the lookout for a white or pale green bulb. Its stalks are topped with feathery green leaves (this is where flowers grow and produce fennel seeds). What’s pretty cool is that you can eat the bulb, stalk, leaves, and seeds! Another cool fact is that fennel is closely related to coriander, parsley, and dill!
Now, there you have it Beauties. My quick 101 on the benefits of kale and the benefits of fennel. So are you inspired to make this delicious kale salad recipe? I sure am!
- DRESSING
- 1 cup of raw, soaked cashews
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- a large pinch of dried oregano
- ½ cup water (more or less to desired consistency)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- SALAD
- 1 head of Lacinato kale, stemmed and torn
- ½ bulb fennel, cut into small pieces
- 2 Tbs. hemp seeds
- 2 Tbs. pine nuts
- Nutritional yeast (to garnish)
- Place all dressing ingredients into Vitamix and blend until smooth. Next, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach desired consistency.
- Place kale and fennel into a large salad bowl and use your hands to massage in the salad dressing.
- Garnish with pine nuts, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast and enjoy my new kale salad recipe.
Beauties I hope my Kale-ifornia salad gives you a feeling of being on the west coast! Be sure to send me pictures of any kale you have growing in your garden!
Sending you so much love Beauties!
Kimberly
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