Massaged Kale Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey – Balsamic Dressing is the perfect kale lover’s salad and may even convert a couple of kale cynics!  Walnuts add crunch and goat cheese adds a lovely, creamy tanginess.

Ahhh…. kale.  People either love it or loathe it.  I happen to love it!  I love the deep, dark green flavor and the fact it’s so good for you.  I also love that a kale salad keeps in the refrigerator–even when it has the dressing on it.

Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey – Balsamic Dressing is super easy to make with ingredients that pair together beautifully:

• Kale
• Blueberries
• Purchased cooked beets
• Walnuts
• Goat cheese (Feta would also be great!)

How to make Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey – Balsamic Dressing:

• First, we need to massage some kale!  Strip the stems from the kale and tear the kale into bite-sized pieces.  Be sure to wash and dry it well, too!
• Place the kale in a bowl…

• Drizzle with some really good olive oil and give it a pinch of salt.
• Then, give it a good massage to soften it up.  Raw kale is pretty tough so giving it a good rubdown is going to soften it up and make it a little easier to chew.  You don’t want to overdo it, just give it a good massage for a couple of minutes or until it’s slightly wilted.  Here’s more information about massaging kale from Bon Appetit magazine.

• Whisk together the Honey – Balsamic Dressing:
  • Olive oil
  • Canola oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Honey
  • Dijon mustard
  • Garlic
  • Salt and black pepper

• Top the massaged kale with the other ingredients…

• Drizzle on the dressing as needed…

• Give the salad a little toss…
• And voila!

And if you simply can’t do kale, spinach is the perfect substitute!

To make ahead:

Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey – Balsamic Dressing can be made ahead in a couple of different ways:

• Massage the kale then refrigerate without the other ingredients.
• Massage the kale, drizzle on some of the dressing and add the beets and blueberries then refrigerate.
• It’s a good idea to keep the cheese and walnuts off.  The dressing will dissolve the cheese and will soften the walnuts.

More kale salads you’ll love:

• Massaged Kale Antipasto Salad
• Massaged Kale Sprout Caesar Salad
• Shredded Kale Sprout and Baby Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
• Quinoa and Kale Salad with Red Grapes, Walnuts and Lemon – Honey Dressing

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Yield: 4-6

Massaged Kale Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey - Balsamic Dressing

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Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey - Balsamic Dressing is the perfect kale lover's salad and may even convert a couple of kale cynics!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• SALAD
• 2 bunches of kale, stems removed, washed and spun dry
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 package (6.5-ounce) roasted baby beets, quartered
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 container (4-ounce) crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted if desired
• HONEY - BALSAMIC DRESSING
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. SALAD: Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and place in a large serving bowl.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt.
3. Massage the kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until the kale wilts and softens up.
4. Top with beets, blueberries, walnuts and goat cheese.
5. DRESSING: Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
6. TO SERVE: Drizzle some or all of the dressing (you don't want it drenched) on the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey - Balsamic Dressing can be made ahead in a couple of different ways:

• Massage the kale then refrigerate up to one day without the other ingredients.
• Massage the kale, drizzle on some of the dressing and add the beets and blueberries then refrigerate up to one day.
• It's a good idea to keep the cheese and walnuts off.  The dressing will dissolve the cheese and will soften the walnuts.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 362Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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