Well if this isn’t a trendy superfood conglomeration of a salad, I don’t know what is! All kidding aside, I’m obsessed with this salad. It’s beautiful, delicious, clean, simple, and easy to make. It gave me a chance to use some of these trendier ingredients (like hemp seeds and goji berries) in a different adaptation besides my usual smoothies and granola bars. But the other thing that’s lovely about this recipe? It’s so flexible! If you don’t have some ingredients, like hemp seeds or goji berries, you could totally substitute whatever you have on hand. You could use all almonds, all sunflower seeds, dried apricots instead of goji berries, etc.
One thing I recommend you stick, with? This dressing.
It’s just so good. You could practically eat the dressing by itself with a spoon! The dressing combines the decadent creaminess and healthy fats of avocado with the sweet antioxidants of blueberries. A little citrus juice adds a touch of tart and really enhances the other flavors.
Once those ingredients are blended, you just massage it into your kale. And yes…I said massage. Listen, I tried to be all lady-like and tried to use a rubber spatula, but truly the best way is to take your (clean) hands and just go to town! Work the dressing around, massaging it into each kale leaf. Your hands will get a little messy, yes, but it’s totally worth it because this helps tenderize the kale to make it more palatable raw. Then when you’re ready to eat, you just have to top the salad with some of the seeds, nuts, and fruit, and you’re good to go! You just get so many different flavors and textures in each bite…I love it!
Also, while you will find healthy fats and some protein from the nuts/seeds in this salad, feel free to add a small piece of grilled chicken or grilled salad for a little extra protein. Please enjoy, and let me know how you like it!
Ingredients
- 6 cups packed kale washed, dried, de-stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 ¼ cup blueberries
- 1 avocado
- 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds unsalted
- 1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds unsalted
- 1 Tablespoon pepitas unsalted
- 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds
- 2 Tabelspoons goji berries
Instructions
- Make sure kale is washed, dried, torn off the stem, and torn into bite-sized pieces. Once prepped, place in mixing bowl.
- Blend together one cup of the blueberries, avocado, and lime or lemon juice. Pour over the kale and massage into the leaves.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, sunflower seeds, and pepitas.Watch carefully – once they get toasted they can burn quickly!
- Top massaged kale with the toasted nuts and seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries, and the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries.
