Raw Kale Salad with Almonds and Cranberries

I’ve told you once or twice about my love of kale. It’s got great color and texture, it’s ridiculously good for you, and it doesn’t break down to nothing when you cook it. But did you know you don’t have to cook it? Until recently, I didn’t. I thought raw kale would be too chewy or fibrous to eat. Toss it with a little acid to soften up the leaves, however, and raw kale makes a deliciously different, nutrition-packed salad green.

For this salad, I combined raw kale with some toasted almonds for crunch and dried cranberries for sweetness. A simple dressing of olive oil and lemon juice gets a touch of sweetness from honey and a touch of heat from a little chili powder. With kale currently overflowing the bins at farmers markets and grocery stores, now is the perfect time to take a walk on the raw side.

Raw Kale Salad with Almonds and Cranberries

Ingredients:
1 large bunch curly green kale, stems removed and sliced into thin ribbons
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup red onion, very thinly sliced
3 T. olive oil
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. honey
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the kale, almonds, cranberries, and onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Place the salad in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes or until ready to serve.

Serves 4 to 6.