marinated kale salad

For those of you who want the benefits of a dark, leafy green, this salad is the way to go. First of all, it's amazing how the shape and presentation of food can actually have an effect on the taste. Whether it's in our heads or not, it doesn't really matter ~ if it tastes better, that's great. Well the trick with kale in a salad is that you really have to "massage" the dressing into the kale. Kale is a fairly tough and sturdy green vegetable so massaging the oil into it makes a world of difference.... almost makes it seem like it was steamed. So, anyway, today I bought "dinosaur" kale, or, another name for it is lacinato kale. I removed the tough stem, layered the leaves on top of each other, folded them in half lengthwise and, starting with the narrower end, rolled it up.... similar to a jelly roll. I posted some pictures to help you visualize. Then, using a sharp knife, cut thin slices from one end to the other -- this is known as chiffonade. It's french ~ turns out that "chiffonade" means "made of rags". So in the cooking world, chiffonade is a technique used to cut up any flat, leafy food into long and thin rag-like strips.... actually looks like ribbons. So, first I poured some olive oil into the ribbons of kale and some fresh lemon juice (you can judge the amounts for yourself) and sprinkled with sea salt. This is when you want to massage the kale. The olive oil and lemon juice act as softening agents and you'll actually feel the kale begin to soften and wilt. Next I finely diced a red pepper (how much you use depends on how big the salad is); I used one-half of the pepper. Then I sprinkled in some pine nuts and some chopped kalamata olives. I tasted just a small amount -- was going to a birthday dinner for my daughter Molly and didn't want to spoil my appetite -- but, yum, it tasted really good. I can't wait until dinner tomorrow when I plan to have it with some kombocha squash, steamed veges, quinoa and whatever else I'm in the mood for. Oh, I almost forgot.... kale is rich in calcium, lutein, iron and vitamins A, C and K. It has seven times the beta-carotene of brocooli and ten times more lutein. Kale is also rich in the much-needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of Americans who eat mostly processed food. The "icing on the kale" are the natural occurring all-important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles wich research suggests may protect against cancer. So, if you don't normally eat kale, do your body a favor and try different ways of eating it. Whether you want it in a salad like the one I mentioned or cooked with some onions, garlic and olive oil, just eat it as it's soooo good for you. Enjoy!