Jeweled Kale Salad w/ Citrus Soy Dressing

I was ridiculously excited to see Kale in the market the other day. Kale! I mean, we’re a tropical country so it doesn’t really grow here (as far as I know), and there isn’t large enough of a market to sustain large scale kale (ha! Everyone’s a poet nowadays) importation.

The culinary equivalent of Emeralds and Amethysts. Yes, family and friends…I just made your gift shopping for me infinitely easier.

I’m not really a jewelry kinda gal. I wear my wedding rings but not all the time, and I’ve taken to wearing a watch recently. I have phases with different types of jewelry (sometimes just expect to see me in a bracelet or a long necklace) but when it comes to coordinating the two, you’ve come to the wrong girl. Plus earrings? Forget about it.

So yes, I’m a nerd who loves food and would rather spend my money on a fancy coffee cup or fancy ingredients than a fancy necklace, so I guess it makes sense that the only jewels that catch my eye are the tones of this salad. Lol. See how I brought it back to food?

I love the look of green and purple together – the simple opulence of the combination makes me think of royal, exotic places, of billowing scarves and lanterns casting their muted golden glow on peacocks roaming around freely. If you’re reading this blog because you’re a food nerd like me, I’m hoping that you can see where I’m coming from. If you’re reading this for any other reason, I’m pretty sure you’re thinking “um…all this for a SALAD!?” Sorry. We eat with our eyes first and that’s what I see. Just don’t call me the salad whisperer.

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 10 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

For the Salad

1 cup Kale, washed & chopped
1/2 cup Purple Cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup Cashew nuts, raw
1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)

For the Dressing

1/4 cup Orange Juice
1/4 tsp freshly grated Ginger
1/2 tbsp. Soy Sauce
Pinch Black pepper
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast Cashews for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, watching closely to ensure that it doesn’t burn. In the meantime, prepare the Dressing by whisking all ingredients together.

Toss Kale, Cabbage & Cashews with the Dressing. Top with sesame seeds if desired.

Although I love the dressing that paired with this recipe, if you want a heartier, more fall-type salad, or basically just want to use up extras, you can use the Toasted Pumpkin Seed Oil Vinaigrette I posted about a while back instead. It totally works.

Have a fantastic weekend, catch up on all the great shows that have made their debut, get your weekend projects done, call that friend you’ve been meaning to call, read a few more pages in that book on your shelf. Just remember to eat well and be happy.