Massaged Kale Salad

I'm on a mission to eat more veggies, specifically more leafy greens. Lately I've been eating a lot of kale.  I love it in salads. I especially like that the greens are stout and hold up so that a salad made on Sunday is still good on Wednesday.  I made a big kale salad this past Sunday and have been eating it along with my breakfast and lunch everyday.

I discovered a new technique for preparing the kale leaves. The greens are massaged with oil and vinegar (or other acid such as lemon juice). This tenderizes the leaves a bit and makes them so flavorful.

Massaged Kale Salad

1 bunch of kale, washed, trimmed, spun dry and chopped into bite site pieces

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

a squeeze of fresh orange juice

salt

pepper

other sturdy vegetables such as radish and red pepper, prepared for the salad

Add at serving time if desired:

toasted walnuts

blueberries

In a small bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Wisk together until combined.

In a large bowl, add the kale. Make sure the leaves are mostly dry. Drizzle with 1/2 or more of the dressing.  (Save the balance of the dressing to add at serving time if desired.) Add a squeeze of fresh orange juice. (I like orange rather than lemon because it adds a bit of sweetness.) Using your hands, massage the leaves until well coated with the dressing and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add other salad vegetables and toss.  At serving time, garnish with a few toasted walnuts and blueberries.