Friday, November 22, 2013

SUPER KALE SALAD for a crowd



Since I work at a school, I have my summers free. Since I have more time on my hands, I like to try new recipes or food that I've never tried before, and I've been doing a lot of that lately.

With summertime heat and humidity in full swing here in southern Illinois, I  also like to find as many recipes that  I can that don't  require any or much cooking time using the added heat from the stove or oven.We grill often in the summer, and we also eat lots of salads.

As I you know, I DON'T like diet food, but I do enjoy natural ,healthy food and try to balance my splurges, with plenty of good-for-me food too.  This salad is just that; no-cook, healthy, interesting and VERY tasty!

I have NEVER used kale before, if you can believe that. I thought I'd give this recipe a try since it received rave reviews on ALLRECIPES.COM. A full 5stars, and now I know why. (When my hubs who is NOT of fan of healthy says, "this is GOOD!", you  know you have a keeper--The recipe AND the hubs!)

Change things up a bit and give this one a try-- you'll be glad you did.

I call this  SUPER SALAD because it is FILLED with THE most nutritious ingredients-- KALE topping the list as one of the best foods out there! Unusually high in Fiber (great for dieters), full of Calcium, Vitamin A & C, just to name a few nutrients.  You can click here for more KALE info. It's impressive!

Check out the rest of the ingredients, and you'll see more super foods included.  Always remember to at least TRY to purchase organic fruits and vegetables, so you don't cancel out their benefits by the pesticides sprayed on them that are nearly impossible to wash off.

This recipe makes a crunchy, sweet/tart blend for at least 10 or more guests.

 ENJOY!


You will need:

3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp.  pepper
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix dressing well, and set aside.



I bunch of Kale
1/4 red onion, sliced thin (I used green onion)
1 cup carrots, shredded (I diced mine)
2/3 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup Craisins (or raisins)
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
8 oz.  frozen  shelled edamame, thawed and drained

Mix altogether and pour 1/2 of the dressing over salad and mix well and let set at least 4 hours (even overnight)  before serving. You can serve it sooner, but the longer it sets, the flavors blend perfectly and the kale becomes softer.

When ready to serve, you can add the rest of the dressing on the side.

Enjoy~ Everything in Moderation