Just when I thought I had found the best kale salad, I tried Tessa’s. Lemony and slightly sweet, it brightened my day. Toss it with toasted almonds, and a generous amount of parmesan cheese.

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch kale, any kind, the fresher the better
1/2 t sea salt
2 T lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 T honey
1/2 t dijon mustard
4 T olive oil
toasted almonds
parmesan cheese

Wash the kale, remove the stems, and chop into small pieces. Sprinkle with sea salt and massage the kale with your hands. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake intensely until blended. Toss with the kale, almonds, and parmesan cheese.

For Mom and Dad’s 70th birthday dinner, we had ribs and this kale salad. The ribs were great, but we were literally elbowing each other out of the way for the kale leftovers the next day. Something about the salty cotija cheese mixed with the toasted pine nuts makes this crave-worthy.

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch kale
8 oz cotija cheese, or feta, crumbled
1/4 c pine nuts, lightly toasted
olive oil

Wash and stem the kale. Chop in small pieces, or whirl it in a food processor to very fine ribbons. Toss with cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil to taste.

We, meaning Amy and I, love this kale salad, as do most of the other grown-ups we make it for. I haven’t met any kids who like it. I read alot about kids who love raw kale salads, but haven’t met them yet, or maybe I just haven’t made the right salad.

Thanks again to mom, for introducing this salad to us.
1 bunch kale, stems removed, and chopped into small pieces
1/2 t sea salt

1/2 c candy nuts or toasted walnuts
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/3 c currants, dried cranberries or dried cherries
1 granny smith or other apple, peeled and diced
1/3 c feta or gorgonzola, crumbled (optional)

Sweet Sesame Dressing

Sprinkle salt on the kale and massage the kale with your hands until it’s tender (about a minute). Add the next 5 ingredients and dress with Sweet Sesame Dressing.