Recipe #49: SoloRunner's Infamously Addictive Kale Salad :)

Yes, finally at long last, here it is. This is SoloRunner's legendary kale salad recipe you've been hearing me yammer on & on about on Twitter for the past several months now like some kale-crazed maniac. :)

You see, I've been making so much of this stuff lately, I think my blood probably runs green by now. :)

Yes, I'll admit it, I'm a kale addict. There could be worse vices. ;-)

Thanks A LOT, SoloRunner! LOL! :) No really, thanks a lot. It's an awesome recipe. :)

I won't tell you how many bags of kale I've gone through in the last month; that information would be too shocking to reveal here. LOL! :)

So, if you get addicted to the stuff, don't blame me, blame SoloRunner. I'm just the messenger. Hahahaha. JUST kidding.

SoloRunner, thank you for permitting me to post your awesome recipe here. In doing so, we are probably creating scores of new potential kale addicts, but since kale is really healthy, that'd actually be a good very thing indeed. :)

So what'd'ya say, SoloRunner, is our next mission to unite forces & save the world together, one leafy green stalk at a time?! ;-) I can see it now, SoloRunner & Cyberpenguin become the new breed of crime-fighting superheroes, the Super-Kale Queens, combatting cholesterol & banishing transfats in a single bound! Hahahaha. Presto-chango. No telephone booth needed. :)

And while you're at it, check out SoloRunner & Meechellee's fabulous running blog, Running Chicks in PDX. They are two awesome ladies!!!!!

So, without further ado, I bring you SoloRunner's sublime kale salad recipe. Enjoy!

Please note that, while the below recipe is 100% the creation of SoloRunner, I've added some of my own notes (i.e., to indicate my own personal preferences, etc.), which appear below in italics.



SoloRunner's Kale Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
1 whole head of Russian Kale or Red Kale (Both work, use the kind you like, or you can also mix the two kinds together. To save prep time, I like to use about a third of a 32 oz. bag of triple-washed, prechopped kale instead. The specific produce brand that I use is "Nature's Greens" by Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Inc.)
sprinkle of sea salt, to taste (SoloRunner prefers Celtic sea salt OR Himalayan crystal salt; kosher salt will also work quite well.)
cracked black pepper, to taste (This is my addition.)
1-2 Tbsp of olive oil (NOTE: I skip this step, because for me, there's more than enough oil in the avocado. ;-) )
1 ripe avocado (NOTE: I use 2 avocados instead.)
2 large (vine-ripened) tomatoes OR a handful of baby plum/cherry tomatoes (I prefer to use Santa Sweet's grape tomatoes.)
1 -2 chopped scallions (I use 3-4 scallions.)
juice of 1 whole fresh lemon juice (I use the juice of 2 lemons.)

Directions:
1. De-stem kale and cut up into strips (or chop). (I don't de-stem kale; I use all parts of the kale, & marinate extra well. ;-) )
2. Add 1-2 Tbsps. of olive oil (if using) plus a small sprinkling of sea salt (or any type of salt you like) & black pepper, to taste to the kale. (Put into large 2-gallon plastic ziploc bag for less mess & easier mixing. ;) You can always remove the salad from the bag & put it into a bowl when you're ready to serve.) Massage well into the leaves until they are soft. If they need more oil, add accordingly.
3. Chop up avocado into small pieces, add to the kale and massage in well, coating the leaves. It is fine to leave pieces of avocado sitting amongst the leaves as well as coating them.
4. Chop tomatoes into small cubes or use cherry/grape tomatoes and cut in halves & add to bowl/ziploc bag. Chop & add scallions & lemon juice. Mix all ingredients well by hand make sure that all ingredients are spread evenly through out the bowl/bag.

Helpful Tip: If you put all of the ingredients into a large (2-gallon) sized ziploc bag, it'll make it a whole lot easier to mix all the ingredients together, while simultaneously saving your hands from getting gooey. :)

Additional Optional Ingredients: Hemp seed, spinach, sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes.

Yield: Makes 1-2 servings, depending on how hungry you are, & whether or not you're eating it as a main dish or not. ;-)