Monday, April 30, 2012

Tangy Kale Slaw

It may be a surprise to you that I just don't eat cookies and cupcakes all day long. I mean, if you base my diet on my blog recipes over the last month you may be thinking I eat nothing else but cupcakes. I do love to create and make cupcakes out of some pretty great and nourishing ingredients, but friends, that is no main course. You body needs all colors of the rainbow to really succeed, and that especially includes the color green!
The truth is I have been trying to eat as many bitter greens, liver and gallbladder cleansing foods and antioxidants as I can this spring. I like to follow a more seasonal diet and try to cleanse and nourish my body with what each season brings for it to eat. And spring brings greens, herbs and eventually strawberries. Some of my most favorite foods on the planet! So, this recipe was built around the idea to have a nice tasty twist on eating the super-green-kale. Not sauted, baked into chips, or thrown in a side salad or stew. Which those are all great options to get some greens into your diet, but in this great recipe kale is the main attraction and it will have you changing your mind about eating green in the first place.  

The other great addition to this slaw is lots of fresh cilantro. Cilantro helps clean heavy metals and toxic buildup in the liver and cleanse the blood. Cilantro is one of the foods you can easily add into your diet and be getting all the benefits of any "super health food" that you could buy for loads of money at the health store. But the best part is that cilantro can be bought for merely a few dollars at almost any grocery store. Or even easier, why not try and grow some in the backyard? Cilantro is one of my all time favorite herbs, but I find it hard to grow in my climate this season. So I bought this cilantro from a grocer, but still full of crispy green goodness until I grow some of my own. 
This slaw is also egg and dairy-free, and would be vegan if you choose not to add the honey. Kale, cilantro, and carrots for sweetness with a simple tangy dressing, you have this simple recipe to remember again and again. It will inspire you to eat more green and will refresh your insides and out.
Tangy Kale Slaw Recipe 
1 bunch of lactino (dino) kale (about 4 cups de-ribbed and washed)
1 heaping cup of chopped cilantro
3-4 carrots, shredded to make about 1 heaping cup 
3-4 celery stalks, finely chopped into about 1 heaping cup
2 TB of prepared dijon mustard
2 TB organic red wine vinegar
3 TB of extra virgin olive oil (hemp, walnut and grape seed work here too)
1 TB of tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 ts - 1 TB of raw local honey (can use agave too, or omit)
3 TB of raisins or dried cherries
3 TB of raw sunflower seeds
dash of sea salt
dash of cracked black pepper

First, de-rib the kale leaves (pull off the middle vein from the outside of the leave and take the two parts of the leaf) and wash them throughly. Wash a whole bunch of kale and finely chop after rolling leaves together like you would chop basil leaves, and roll and then thinly slice, turn the other direction and then thinly slice again. This will make about 4 cups of finely shredded kale leaves. Then finely chop 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, and add that to the large bowl with the kale. Then add the chopped celery and shredded carrots, and pour in the rest of the dressing ingredients. Then, I suggest you use your hands to mix the dressing well into the kale, this will also allow the kale to soak in the moisture and loosen the leaves to be easier to chew. Then top with more sunflower seeds or raisins and serve fresh. Perfect side (or main dish) for almost any meal, especial for spring and summer. This recipe will serve 4-6 people.

I made my favorite way to eat cauliflower, and some basic baked sweet potatoes (mostly for my son), along with the fresh kale slaw for dinner. It was a pretty simple and inexpensive meal. And, I really could not have asked for anything more. If you wanted to add some more protein then add some garbanzo beans to the slaw call it a meal.
A plate-full of vegetables for dinner. Very colorful and fresh! Some cooked and some raw, a good balance for the sensitive stomach to easily digest. And, I always feel to refreshed and nourished after a meal like this. You know the kale and cilantro are working goodness into your body and there are countless ways to thank your body for accepting some great nourishment too.

God is good and He blesses us with food from the ground!

Much love as always!

6 comments:

  1. Looks Delicious!! I'll have to try it!!

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  2. I just made this last night. It was delicious! I couldn't stop eating it and my husband loved it, too.

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    1. My hubs loved it too! Super bonus, right?! :)

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  3. This recipe for kale looks so good, I will be making it this week!

    Just found your blog and am loving your recipes, thank you!

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  4. Just found your blog, and I really like it. Do you think there are any other greens that would work as a replacement for the kale? What about swiss chard?
    Thanks a lot!

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