Summer Kale Salad

I really like kale, ok? I mean really. I know it's some sort of trendy hipster vegetable right now, and the burgeoning "buy-locally-sourced-produce" movement is the main reason why it's popular, but I don't care. Food fate brought us together, and I'm not gonna question it. I'm just going to eat some kale and I'm inviting you to join me.

There are a lot of reasons to love kale. Apparently the Huffington Post thinks that kale is the new beef, which I find kind of hilarious because (silly Huffington Post!) beef is awesome and we don't need a 'new' beef. Their article really does point out some awesome attributes, though: kale is an awesome anti-inflammatory. It's also full of iron, calcium, and fiber, and it's full of vitamins and omega fatty acids. What's not to love? I have a little row of paper cups in my kitchen that are full of garden soil with little kale seedlings peeking out, and I can hardly wait to plant them.

Maybe you don't like kale. Some people just don't. It's a pretty unusually flavored ingredient, but I feel like it's hearty flavor and texture make it the perfect backdrop for a summer salad. Don't get me wrong - I am a big fan of kale sauteed in olive oil and garlic, but I think kale makes for a great salad base too. I tossed this dish together yesterday for lunch along with a few ingredients I had in the pantry and the fridge, and I thought I'd share. If you love kale like I do, it'll be right up your alley. If you're new to kale, or just giving it a second chance, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! Let's go!

Start by chopping up and de-ribbing your kale. Some of those kale pieces will have thick stems running down the middle, so just tear off the leafy green parts and discard the stems. Once my kale was ready, I grabbed some sliced strawberries, some mandarin orange slices, a handful of toasted coconut, and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. Just eyeball the measurements, toss in whatever makes you happy. Love strawberries? Toss in some more strawberries! I whipped up a super quick grapefruit vinaigrette to go on top:

So easy to toss together! I made enough dressing to make salad for two people, so just double it if you need more!

Toss everything together, and drizzle the dressing over everything. If you find kale to be a bit too intense, dress the salad and let it sit for 20 minutes or so before eating. The acidity of the vinaigrette will sort of soften and mellow the kale a bit. I love how pretty this salad is!

Pair up that salad with some protein (I picked some spicy tuna cakes with Sriracha) and you've got yourself a meal. Still can't get your head around the kale-ness of this salad? I betcha it'd be equally awesome if you subbed out spinach!