Ultimate Kale Salad

This little salad packs an amazing punch. 

Chock full of good nutrients for your body. 

Your body knows how to digest this salad, there is nothing foreign that your system has to figure out how to metabolize and process. Full of antioxidants, nutrients, minerals, not to mention vitamins, and full of color. 

A generous mix of sweet/salty with the tang of citrus and vinegar.

Ingredient list. 

Two bunches of a long flat leaf kale. I do prefer organic. 

Rainbow carrots. 

Red beets. 

Quinoa. 

Lentils. I used French lentils because they are a little meatier then the others.

Organic sun dried tomatoes. 

Honey tangerine. Zest as well. 

One organic lemon. I used a Meyer lemon. 

Blackberries. 

Blueberries. 

Extra virgin Olive oil. 

Red wine vinegar. 

Apple cider vinegar with mother. I use Braggs

One clove of smashed garlic. 

I use pink Himalayan rock salt. Fresh cracked pepper.

First I prepare the beets and the quinoa/lentils.

I placed The beets on a microwave safe dish, knife poked the top and sides with a few holes. I started on high for about five minutes, rotated four minutes, rotate to the other side around four minutes. When a fork goes through the flesh with ease, they are done. Let them cool.

While your beets are in the microwave get a sauce pan with a tight fitting lid.  I do the following.

Rince about 1 cup of quinoa and in a separate bowl rince one cup of the French lentils. 

I place the quinoa in the bottom of the sauce pan, add the clove of smashed garlic salt and pepper, I cover the quinoa with filtered water. Cook on high. When almost all the water has evaporatorated in a rapid boil, I then cover them again with water, add the French lentils, and make sure the water is above of the line of the French lentils.  

Continue to boil for about a minute or two. Cover with the lid and leave it alone. 

In saying this, I have an electric range, so the heat is still present. If you are cooking on a gas range, increase time approximately 5 to 7 minutes. But I still do recommend covering and let sit for at least 20 minutes. When all the water has evaporated, the lentils and quinoa are thoroughly cooked, I add two capfuls of apple cider vinegar.

While your lentils and quinoa are cooking, remove the heavy thick spine from all of the kale leaves. Roll them together in bundles of six or so like you are rolling a cigar.  Cut in thin ribbons cross ways, this is a French term called chiffonade.

 Place in a deep bowl, add 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup of Bragg's apple cider vinegar. Salt and pepper, about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.  

Now with a large spoon or your hands, begin to "massage" the kale squeezing it in all of the vinegar solution. This breaks down the fiber of the kale and makes it more palatable. Stir thoroughly and let sit. 

Personally, I take a vegetable peeler and shave my carrots down, adding them to the kale.   

In a separate bowl, I cut off  one third of the tangerine,  juiced squeezed with pulp, about 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, (if you want to you can also add about a tablespoon of a brown mustard or honey to this).    whisk together and pour over the kale mixture

I use kitchen shears to cut the sun-dried tomatoes, and at this point, your beets should be cooled, peel and cube.  Add to the kale mixture.  Take the other two thirds of the tangerine and segment them, make sure you add the zest. 

Take your cooled quinoa and lentils mixture add to the bowl of kale as well, toss all together until everything is literally covered. Being careful not to smash your beets. 

Taste the mixture at this point and season salt pepper to taste. You may want to add some more vinegar. Strictly up to your palate.  

Right before serving, I will add blueberries and Blackberries to individual bowls, they will not hold up well to the mixture. 

Eat and enjoy!

After eating the salad I think if you smashed some walnuts and added bits of goat cheese, it would give a different texture to the salad. But being mostly dairy free, I don't have that option. 

How do you give this a try. I would love to hear your thoughts on the salad.