I found two kinds of kale at the farmer’s market, so I came up with a delicious salad to make. Recently, someone made me a delicious salad with goat cheese and dried cranberries, so I was thinking along those lines about what else would go well in a kale salad. On a cheese board, I absolutely love cherries with blue cheese, so that was the inspiration for this salad. The fresh greens themselves are packed with fiber and some protein, but by adding the chickpeas and almonds, this salad satisfies your hunger with healthy sustenance – without turning on your oven in the hot summer!
I am calling this salad “Eat to Live,” because it is so easy to make and you do not have to cook anything – just a bit of chopping and it is ready to go. It is already vegetarian, but easy to vegan-ize by substituting the blue cheese for a vegan alternative or leaving the cheese out. This dressing is not the traditional ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, as I reduced the fat but then it needed something sweet for balance, so added a touch of agave. You can substitute honey (not vegan), maple syrup or sugar – or if you like a tart dressing, just leave it out.
Another bonus of this salad is that it holds well. Usually, I won’t dress all of a salad because it will get soggy if I don’t eat it all because the dressing wilts lettuce. The kale and Brussels sprouts can stand up to the dressing over time, so it is a great meal prep plan (put in a jar, shake and go!) and will not be wasted if there are leftovers.
This recipe makes one entrée-sized salad or two side salads. It is great on its own, but also will accompany whatever you want to cook on the grill and keep your kitchen nice and cool during these hot summer months.
Notes: All the salad ingredients are by weight, but feel free to approximate with handfuls. The dressing makes 1/4 cup by volume, so adjust how much you want to use accordingly.
Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Blue Cheese, Dried Cherries & Almonds
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Chef's Knife
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 scale and ramekins (if measuring ingredients)
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
- 1 whisk
- 1 tongs
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Shaved Brussels Sprouts I purchased mine already shaved
- 1.5 oz Kale cleaned, de-stemmed and finely chopped for easy bites
- 1 oz crumbled blue cheese
- 1 oz dried cherries
- 1 oz almonds whole, roasted and salted
- 1 oz red onion finely diced
- 1 oz chick peas canned
For the dressing:
- 1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Agave
- 2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 tsp. Kosher salt or to taste
- 1/8 tsp. Black pepper or to taste
- 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp. Avocado Oil
Instructions
- Method of Preparation:
- Prepare all the vegetables and salad ingredients.
- Make the dressing by placing the dijon, balsamic vinegar, agave, salt and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oils while whisking to emulsify the dressing.
- Add all the salad ingredients to the dressing in the mixing bowl.
- Toss well and serve.
As always, I would LOVE to hear from you! Did you make this salad? Let me know what you think. Please subscribe to my blog to get emails of my recipes whenever I post a new one.
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