This article is sponsored by our friends at MegaFood. All opinions are my own.
It takes less than 30 minutes to create this Kale Avocado Salad filled with crunchy walnuts, sweet grapefruit, avocado, basil and a dairy-free creamy dressing.
It’s about time we talk about massaged kale salads. I had a few massaged kale salads in my cookbook and I received so many emails from you that you loved them and wanted more. So, here we go! I’m excited to share this kale avocado salad with you today because it’s full of flavor and super detoxifying. There’s a secret ingredient in the dressing that includes a few of my favorite detoxifying foods to support your liver and detox pathways on a daily basis. Very exciting!
Massaged Kale Avocado Salad
Now, you’re probably wondering how to massage kale. Right? Well, let me take you through a quick little intro. The New York Times gives an explanation that I enjoy. You can pour the oil into your hands and massage the leaves or you can let it sit for 15 minutes, which is what I really love to do, especially in this kale avocado salad because that ensures the kale is super tender and soft. You don’t want to feel like you’re eating sticks. Trust me on that! You can either let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes after you massage it with the oil or after you toss it in the dressing at the very end, whichever you decide. I prefer the latter but it’s completely up to you.
Why Massage Kale?
Massaging kale gives kale that really soft texture and an extra dark color compared to its raw harsh feeling, bitter taste and light green color. In this kale avocado salad, I massage the kale first and then simply toss in the other ingredients as well as the dressing. I highly recommend massaging your kale. If you don’t massage kale and you just toss all the ingredients together in a bowl, you’ll have a really bitter, hard to chew salad that will probably leave you with a belly ache. Just sayin’.
Why this Salad is Detoxifying
So, you’re probably wondering…Amie, why is this kale avocado salad ‘detoxifying’? Good question! Kale and cabbage are two of the greatest veggies to help pull toxins out of your liver*, therefore they’re wonderful for supporting your body in removing toxins from your liver. When I had awful hormonal issues and heavy metals and all the other health issues I went through, I had to detox daily to support my liver by eating broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale, which did wonders for my brain fog, bloating and toxicity levels. On top of the cabbage and kale in this salad, I also included one of my favorite ways to boost a bit of natural detoxification in the body with the MegaFood Daily Purify Nutrient Booster Powder, which I love. I added this to the salad dressing for this salad to give you a naturally sweet touch with an extra detox punch. It’s ideal for a healthy and safe daily detox because it combines Burdock Root, Artichoke Leaf and (my favorite) Dandelion Root, which are clean foods often used to promote healthy liver detoxification.*
Now, let’s get onto the recipe, shall we?
You can make this kale avocado salad in under 10 minutes. Massage the kale, toss everything in a large bowl, drizzle the almond butter dressing on top and you’ve got yourself an easy meal that can be whipped up for lunch or dinner anytime of the year. If you don’t have grapefruit on hand, no worries. You can easily use an orange or an apple or pear instead- depending on the season and what’s available in your food store or farmers market.
Did I mention how delicious creamy almond butter tastes when used as a salad dressing? SO good. Plus, it’s super satisfying because it’s a healthy fat that won’t have you starving an hour after you eat.
Enjoy!
ox
If you make this recipe, come show me and post a picture to your social media account and tag me so I can take a look! I love seeing your creations on facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter and google plus.
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why I eat organic: The Benefits of Eating Organic.
This recipe is free of gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, corn and eggs. Vegan, Paleo, Vegetarian.
Ingredients
Kale Avocado Salad
- 2 large onions peeled and quartered
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil divided
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 head dinosaur flat kale, finely chopped and ends removed
- 1 medium head purple cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 large red grapefruit peeled and segmented
- 1 large large ripe avocado peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. raw walnuts
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 large scallion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
Creamy Almond Dressing Dressing
- 2 Tbsp. well-stirred creamy almond butter
- Juice of 1 large lemon plus more if needed
- 1 scoop MegaFood Daily Purify Nutrient Booster Powder
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the quartered and peeled onions on the paper and drizzle with 2 tsp. of the oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and use your hands to coat the onions. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the kale with 2 tsp. of the oil and use your hands to massage the kale for about 2 minutes until the kale leaves are dark green, soft and tender. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and toss with your hands. Add the roasted onions, cabbage, grapefruit, avocado, walnuts, basil, scallion and sesame seeds.
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In a small bowl, mix the almond butter, lemon juice and the MegaFood Daily Purify Booster Powder for your dressing. Mix or whisk until you reach your desired consistency. Pour over the kale salad and let it sit for 10 minutes. Toss again and serve immediately. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, to taste.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
I love kale but never knew about massaging your kale. I can’t wait to try this recipe and have all the girls at work jealous. I eat a lot of kale and never thought of massage it but also add grapefruit and avocado.
Thank you! I hope you love it Kelly. It’s super easy to make, too!
Great recipe, Amie!