It’s Saturday and it’s good to be alive! The weekend allows us a little more time to be with our favorite people, enjoy the beautiful weather, exercise in the sunshine, and of course enjoy great food!
I usually reserve Saturdays for “smoothie day”, but today I was in the mood for something different…a reverse smoothie, if you will. Or, a salad as many would call it. This Blueberry & Balsamic Kale Salad has many of the same ingredients as a smoothie – berries, greens, nut butter, seeds and citrus. But, instead of blending most of the ingredients, they’re left whole.
You can enjoy this salad for breakfast just as much as you would for dinner. It’s easy to throw together and it’s a real crowd pleaser. Plus, by incorporating berries and kale into more of your meals you’re on track to get more antioxidants, dietary fiber, and essential nutrients. In other words, it’s a big boost for your health and longevity. Kale yeah!
BLUEBERRY & BALSAMIC KALE SALAD
Yields ~4 servings
Ingredients:
For Blueberry Kale Salad:
- 4-6 bunches kale (curly or dino)
- flesh from 1/2 an avocado
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- pinch of Himalayan salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion or shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers
- Other add-ons: fresh mango, fresh corn, hemp seeds, chickpeas
For Blueberry Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- Juice from 1/2 small orange
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- pinch of Himalayan salt, cayenne pepper and ground turmeric
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. almond butter or tahini
Directions:
For Blueberry Kale Salad:
- Rinse kale and remove from the stem, tearing into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine torn kale, avocado, apple cider vinegar, and pinch of salt.
- Massage ingredients in with the kale until kale softens and turns bright green.
- Add in remaining ingredients, combine well and set aside.
For Blueberry Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette:
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients, except for olive oil and almond butter/tahini, then pulse until thoroughly blended.
- To thicken, add more almond butter or tahini. To thin, add 1-2 Tbsp. water.
- Drizzle over prepared kale salad and enjoy!
Happy Saturday!
Coach Jentry