Let's be honest. As much as we know greens are good for us, shoving a piece of raw kale in our mouth is the equivalent of downing a dose of penicillin. It's just nasty. Unless it's a tasty and vibrant salad, I have a difficult time eating raw veggies myself. This is why when it comes to raw kale, I've found a way to make it not only palatable but DELICIOUS. The key to any good raw kale salad - just like life - is a good massage. Part of what makes vegetables so good for us is the insoluble fiber that acts like a scrub brush for our guts. Unfortunately, this also accounts for making raw veggies tough to chew and hard to digest, often resulting in bloat and gas. Blech. No fun. Vigorously massaging the kale with a fat and a citric acid (like lemon) helps to break down the cellulose wall of the veggies, making them one, softer and two, easier to process and digest. The fats also contribute to a more pleasant taste profile. Trust me, once you've eaten a well massaged kale salad, you'll turn your nose at any other preparation. (PS: This is also the ONLY recipe of mine where you'll find FRUIT IN MY SALAD!!!)
1 bunch (about 10-12 leaves) kale washed, dried, and trimmed (remove stems)
1 ripe avocado
1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup goji berries
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds (roasted pumpkin seeds or crushed walnuts can also be used)
2 tsps himalayan pink sea salt
Cut or tear kale leaves into small bite size pieces and place in large bowl. Slice up avocado and add to bowl along with olive oil, juice from lemon, salt and goji berries. It's time to get your hands dirty! (But make sure you clean them first. ;) ) Mix all ingredients together with your hands, "massaging" well for at least 3 minutes. I like to put on a tune with a good beat, massage to the beat and dance around a bit! Work the ingredients together until there are no more visible large pieces of avocado. The salad should reduce in size by at least half! Once kale (and berries) feel soft, add sunflower seeds and mix again with hands. I could do this til the cows come home, but use your best judgment.
As always, PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD. You might like a little more lemon or salt, less avocado or more olive oil. This is a guideline.
You can garnish with additional goji berries or sunflower seeds. ENJOY!