Massaged Kale and Blood Orange Salad
A vibrant, healthy massaged kale and blood orange salad. Finished with crunchy pecans! Gluten free, dairy free and vegan friendly.
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Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale (250-300 grams)
- 2 blood oranges
- 1 bulb fennel
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted pecans
- 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the quinoa according to packet instructions. I usually rinse mine and then cook by the absorption method (half cup of quinoa with a cup of water, simmered partially covered for 15 minutes and then left to "steam" with the lid on for ten minutes). Set aside and allow to cool.
- Next, prep the kale. Remove the tough middle stems from the kale leaves and give them a wash. Shake off the water and then place kale in a large bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil and juice of the lemon to the bowl. Using your fingers, massage the oil and lemon juice into the leaves, until they're thoroughly and evenly coated. They will start to soften a little as you do this. Set the kale aside to sit for ten minutes or so while you get on with the rest of the salad.
- If you are toasting the pecans before adding to the salad, do so now (you can add them raw if you prefer). Roughly chop them and pop them in a pan (no oil) over a moderate heat on the stove. Gently toss them around in the pan for 2-3 minutes until they start darkening a bit, then slide onto a plate and set aside to cool.
- Prep the rest of the salad ingredients. Cut the oranges in half, cut off the skin and then cut into chunks (I usually divide into sixths or eighths). Trim the fennel and finely slice, removing any tough inedible parts. Reserve the fennel fronds for decorating the salad, if you like.
- Combine the quinoa, kale, blood orange and fennel in your serving bowl. Season with salt & pepper to taste. If you're serving right away, toss through the pecans, otherwise you can add them later so they stay more crunchy.
- If you'd like to add some extra dressing to the salad (as the kale is already dressed in lemon & olive oil), simply whisk together the balsamic vinegar and honey in a mug and pour over the salad too.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*As noted above, you can swap the pecans for walnuts or almonds if you prefer. For a nut-free salad, simply omit the pecans or try swapping them for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds!
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