Kale Salad

UPDATE: Add chopped cooked chicken (I get mine at Trader Joe's) for a great protein rich salad!

I never knew kale was a vegetable. For 39 1/2 years I've walked this earth thinking it was something that you planted in the front yard next to the petunias. That is, until my hubby brought a kale salad home from Whole Foods Market.

I have to admit that when I first saw it in salad form I was a little hesitant to try it. This was going out on a limb for me even though I love most vegetables. It was so dark and heavy looking. I thought for sure it was going to taste like lawn clippings.

Well, as you've probably guessed by now, I was wrong. Dead wrong. Kale is delicious! And when you pair it with the sweetness of dried cranberries and the tartness of lemon, it's a total winner. I was hooked instantly. I wanted to send hubby out for more immediately. That is... until I saw the price tag on the top of the container.

Almost six bucks for a micro-dab of kale, four cranberries and an almond sliver? Are you kidding me? You can get a truck load of kale for 47 cents! Ok, maybe not that cheap, but you get where I'm going with this.

All I had to do was figure out how they were making it and create my own. Hmmm... how was I going to do that? I know! How about reading the ingredients located right next to the ridiculous price tag! I'm a genius.

And so Primal Mama's version of Whole Foods kale salad is born!

What you'll need:

1 bunch of kale

1/2 red bell pepper (optional)

1/4 a purple onion

1/2 a cup of dried cranberries

1/2 a cup of sliver almonds (pine nuts are great too... or walnuts)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 lemon, squeezed

dash of garlic powder

What you do:

Wash and dry the kale well. Chop it into bite size pieces omitting the tough stems. I find that if you make the pieces on the small side it's easier to eat. If you want some red bell pepper in there chop that as well. I really just put it in there for the color. Slice up some very thin strips of purple onion. Thin is the key. You don't want the onion flavor to take over the salad. Well, that took about three minutes. So Whole Foods can't blame their high price on a labor intensive salad now, can they. Put all your veggies in a bowl. Add in the cranberries and nuts of your choice. Take a look at all the colors. This really is a beautiful salad.

To make up the dressing just poor 1/3 a cup of olive oil into a Tupperware or jar. Squeeze in the lemon and add a little garlic powder. Close it up and give it a good shake. Taste. Adjust to your liking as necessary.

Now poor the dressing over the kale and toss it up. Smile! You've just made a mountain of kale salad for about three bucks. The beauty of this salad lies not only in its taste, but in the fact that it will last in the fridge for several days and taste even better as it sits.

Enjoy!