This is a silly post because I eat kale salads for lunch basically every single day. And they are usually the same.
Kale and cabbage massaged with some dressing, plus avocado, dried cranberries, and seeds (either pepitas or sunflower).
As such, I don’t take pics of them anymore. It’s repetitive. Delicious, but repetitive.
But lately, I’ve been mixing things up.
One day I did this spinach, chickpea, edamame, quinoa thing with a miso dressing.
And then another day I went and paired my kale with broccoli slaw, kabocha squash, dried cranberries and avocado. Then I added goat’s milk feta to it because I was at Nugget and saw my favorite Redwood Hill Farm’s goat cheese. Can’t say no to that stuff.
Holy geez this was good.
And so was this one! So my new approach to kale glory is this: I massage a few bags of kale and slaw in olive oil to store in a tupperware and then they are all broken down and ready to go when I decide what direction I want to go when the clock strikes noon.
I added broccoli salad (with currants, roasted cashews and mayo) and avocado. Plus one half of a baby carrot because I always munch on baby carrot while prepping lunch.
And here it is in all it’s mixed up goodness.
Cashews and avocado make life better.
But, while ridiculously delicious in their own right, those salads were nothing compared to this (unphotogenic) number.
And now I’m going to tell you how to re-create this on your own. Because it’s terribly easy and I promise you will love it.
Ready?
These are the two key components. I get my special sauce from Thrive Market for WAY cheaper than in stores. You could use any kale really. I got this bagged blend at Whole Foods because I did our shopping there this week instead of TJs (we didn’t need very much – I’m planning to do a bulk trip to Costco in a few days). I usually buy broccoli slaw, shredded green cabbage, and kale separately from Trader Joe’s and combine them…so either way…get a bunch of kale and some kind of cabbage or slaw greenery. Put them together and then toss them with Sir Kensington’s special sauce.
Here’s what’s in the special sauce “Sunflower Oil, Sriracha Sauce (Cayenne Peppers, Sugar, Jalapeño Peppers, Garlic, Cayenne Powder) Water, Egg Yolks, Organic White Vinegar, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Black Pepper.”
So once you work it all into the lettuce, let it sit and wilt a bit. You could massage with olive oil first (using your hands) if you want to break the kale down faster (and don’t want to risk wasting delicious special sauce).
After that all you need is avocado and smokehouse almonds. Boom. Seeeeeriously good. And simple!
Here’s what my single serving lunch looks like portion wise (keep in mind I eat a lot).
- 4-6 oz kale / cabbage mix (+ optional 1 tbsp olive oil)
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots / 10 chopped baby carrots
- 1/4 cup Sir Kensington’s special sauce
- 1/3 cup smokehouse almonds
- 1/2 avocado
Make it and let me know!
Hi Elise, I’ve been getting into making salads myself lately, and your kale posts always give me such inspiration! I was wondering if you still (at all) follow the low FODMAP diet? I first stumbled onto your blog when I read your FODMAP friendly snacks post, but that was almost 4 years ago. If you don’t follow the FODMAP diet, what has helped you to manage your stomach issues? Thanks! Jenn
Hi Jenn! I do still follow the low fodmaps diet albeit very loosely. It’s just a matter of trying to make it work with the rest of the family’s dietary requirements and preferences as well. For instance, I rarely cook with onions and if I do I avoid them and serve them only to Kyle or P. Also I sub garlic infused olive oil instead of garlic for any recipe. I’d say avoiding onions and garlic and dairy are the main ways, but I admit sometimes I slip back into my former vegan mindset and want heaps of kale and beans and it’s just something I limit. Now that I know what the root cause of my IBS is, I know the way to heal my gut when I do get off track. I used to eat 2-3 apples a day and I just can’t anymore. Anyway, I admit there are certain groups that I don’t tolerate very well that I still push the limits on. Mainly broccoli and kale and cabbage. But the bloat and gas is sometimes a small sacrifice.
Thanks for the info! I agree – I love my veggies and I realize that I do much better when I eat reasonable sized portions and lower fiber. I’ve found great success controlling my diet with the low FODMAP diet, but have had issues with reintroducing foods, so I’ll be seeing a dietician to help me with that challenging phase starting this week. I haven’t been brave enough to try apples yet (which I used to LOVE as well). Feeling good while eating such a restrictive diet is crappy but good at the same time…good because I just feel a lot better, but crappy because I want to eat the same stuff I used to pre-IBS.