10 Snappy Salad Ideas for Kale

• By
• Sharon Hanna

Image by Diana Batts
Kale Caesar served in August 2011 at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario - Relais & Chateaux hotel grand chef, Jonathan Gushue, presiding

While kale is available all year in stores it can also be grown year round in your very own garden. Kale is a real blessing in winter to gardeners, as January and February are fairly dreary, both greens-wise and garden-wise. Bonus - a cold snap makes kale taste sweeter.

10 Super Salad ideas to make your kale experience sensational

1. Make Caesar salad with kale instead of romaine, or at least half kale!

2. Add chopped or thinly sliced kale to any favourite salad or coleslaw.

3. Pair kale with slices of peeled oranges, chopped pitted prunes, grated cheese, green olives, fresh dates or juicy halved cherries in summer.

4. Go nuts – add a few almonds, cashews, walnuts, filberts or pecans to some thinly sliced or shredded kale. A dash of olive oil and a drizzle of lemon, lime or orange juice is enough adornment. Or for a super-treat, add a little bit of goat’s cheese.

5. Line a plate with kale chiffonade, then add drained canned chickpeas, good canned tuna, steamed green beans, cucumber and a few olives. Dress lightly, et voila: Nicoise-ish salad.

6. Perfect little leaves of flat-leafed kale (‘Lacinato’, ‘Rainbow Tuscan’, or the Portuguese variety) on crudité platters are yummy and handy for scooping up dips.

7. Kale stands in for lettuce in wraps filled with spicy ground pork with hoisin sauce, or the ubiquitous Thai condiment called Chili Sauce for Chicken.

8. Your favourite potato salad benefits from the nutritional oomph of added finely chopped curly kale.

9. Keep a container or bag of washed kale leaves for last-minute use in sandwiches. Teach your kids and teens to think of using it just like lettuce.

10. Use small kale leaves to make “ears” that you can stick into baked potatoes for a fun meal for children.