A lovely winter kale salad with a lemony honey mustard dressing that is lightly massaged into mounds of chopped raw curly kale and shredded Brussels sprouts, then we topped it with sweet chopped apples, creamy-salty parmesan and nutty walnuts for an ultimate kale salad.
I started making kale salad a few years ago when kale was a big trend. I fell in love at the first bite and for me there was no going back. Over the years, we have made many different combinations some delicious and some that didn’t workout that well, but the classic kale salad with lemon- honey-mustard vinaigrette has always been a winner with little swaps here and there. For this salad we added some shredded Brussels sprouts that also hold up well when massaged with lemon. It helps tenderize and mellows the bitter flavors of both these sturdy leaves.
Working with Kale
- Kale: belongs to the brassica family of plants, commonly called the crucifers or mustard family. They include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnip, mustard greens, canola (rapeseed) etc. these vegetables are nutrient dense packed with antioxidant, polyphenols rich in Anti inflammatory properties, vitamins, essential minerals, fiber etc. There are many varieties of kale; curly, Tuscan, red Russian are the most popular and readily available. My favorite for this salad is the curly variety which softens really well after massaging with lemon or salad dressing.
- Wash the kale thoroughly: buying organic kale is preferred because it is one of the produce that makes it to the “dirty dozen list. Kale is one of the leafy greens that is susceptible to many pests and often carries pesticide residue. Organic kale is affordable and readily available with almost every green grocer. Make sure it’s throughly washed before consuming.
- Prep: once washed, pat dry. Pull the green leafy part of the stem/rib. Hold the rib/ stem with your thumb and index and run it along to separate the leafy green part. Then tear or chop the leaves to your desired size. Honestly I don’t mind the stems and skip this step sometimes. But the stems are annoyingly chewy and may not be pleasant to many, that is why taking the step to cut out the stem is a good idea.
- Massage the kale: massaging kale with an acidic element like lemon juice or salad dressing softens the leaves making it pliable and much easier to eat and digest.
Ingredients
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- Apple for some sweetness
- Fresh lemon juice for the salad dressing and helps soften the leaves.
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated preferably.
- Olive oil:Â good quality cold pressed Extra virgin is the best.
- Vinaigrette mustard, honey fresh garlic for bold flavor and to bring the salad together.Â
- Walnuts for crunch
Kale Brussels Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups curly kale, chopped into small pieces about 1 large bunch
- 8-10 pieces Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1 small Apple, chopped
- ¾ cup walnuts chopped
- â…“ cup grated Parmesan
- â…“ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup e.v olive oil, cold pressed
- 1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 Fat cloves garlic, minced
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the chopped kale and shredded Brussels sprouts to a large bowl and drizzle with a squeeze of lemon juice. Using your clean hands, massage the kale and brussels sprouts until slightly tender, and starting to wilt, about 2 minutes. Set aside!
- To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the ⅓ cup lemon juice, ½ the the Parmesan cheese, ½ cup olive oil, minced garlic, honey, mustard salt, and pepper until fully combined and emulsified.
- Â To serve, in a large serving bowl, place the massaged kale and brussels sprouts, chopped apple and vinaigrette, mix everything well. Top the salad with the remaining Parmesan cheese, walnuts and serve.
Notes
The lemon-honey-mustard vinaigrette will keep fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
The kale and Brussels can be massaged and tossed with the dressing for up to 2 hours before serving.
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