Earthy Sundried Tomato Kale Salad

---

STOP EATING Boring Salads!!

I repeat. Stop eating boring salads! I see this a lot with my clients. The desire to eat more salads, however, they have been burned way too many times by not-so-exciting, boring salads. Almost always when we dive into what is currently making up their salads, it’s things like, bland lettuces, store bought oily, tasteless dressings, and more meats and cheese than actually veggies. Leaving their poor, lifeless salads with no texture, no color, and leaving you with no satisfaction.

I’m sure you are picking up by now that color means nutrition, but what it also means is variety. A variety of smells, flavors and textures. Not only is your salad going to be more exciting to your mouth and body, but also your eyes! Which we all know we eat with first, so give them something worthy to look at!

This Earthy Sundried Tomato Kale Salad is a beauty and in no way whatsoever, boring! It is packed full colors, textures and loaded with flavor. The sundried tomatoes, hemp seeds and oregano give the dressing a deep earthy flavor, pairing perfectly with little pops of saltiness from the olives and pepperoncinis, and crunch from the cabbage and hemp seeds. Since the dressing is thick it needs a sturdy green, so we use the sturdiest of them all…kale! If kale is still new to you, then the idea of massaging your kale may be new too. Do not skip this step! It transforms the kale by releasing the kale’s natural oils, which breaks down the green into a softer texture and removes the bitterness that has given kale a bad rap.

Calm down kale haters…you just gotta show that green a little love!!

Make this salad once and it is sure to find a special place in your heart and meal planning routine. Once you have given it a try, be sure to share in the comments or snap a pic and share on Instagram using #sproutintowellness.

EARTHY SUNDRIED TOMATO KALE SALAD

(Makes 2 Large Servings or 4 sides)

DRESSING Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hemp seeds

• 2 TBSP lemon juice (~1 lemon)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1/2-3/4 cup filtered water

• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (dried, not packed in oil), soaked in hot water until softened

• 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

SALAD Ingredients:

• 1 bunch curly kale (~4 cups), destemmed and torn into bite size pieces

• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

• 1/4 cup pepperoncinis, sliced

• 1/4 cup pitted green olives

• fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

• hemp seeds, for topping

Directions:

1. Combine all dressing ingredients, starting with 1/2 cup water and blend. Depending on your type of blender and how much water the sundried tomatoes soaked up, you may need additional water to properly blend. Dressing is thick and should be the consistency of a smooth hummus when finished. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup water to reach your desired consistency. Set aside (can be made ahead!).

2. Place kale in large bowl and massage with hands for 1-2 minutes. When kale is softened add half of dressing and mix. This is easiest to get in there and use your hands, making sure you coat all of the kale evenly.

3. To dressed kale, add the shredded cabbage and toss.

4. Divide salad into serving bowls and top with all remaining ingredients.

NOTES:

• You will have extra dressing remaining. This dressing is fantastic in wraps, slathered on a sandwich and even as a dip!