Kale, Barley, & Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Previously few weeks, I’ve develop into hooked on consuming kale salads virtually on daily basis for lunch. I usually add one other inexperienced into the combo together with no matter different contemporary greens I’ve within the fridge. I just lately had some leftover Brussels sprouts that I shaved and added to kale for further crunch. I additionally included cooked barley, diced pears, chopped walnuts, and pomegranate arils.

The cooked grain provides heartiness and diet to the salad, the pears add sweetness, and the nuts and arils add further texture. You might use quinoa, millet, or farro rather than the barley if you happen to desire, and apples as a substitute of the pears.

In Italy, the one true kale selection I’ve discovered is named Tuscan black cabbage, (cavolo nero), additionally identified right here as Tuscan Kale, Laciniato or dinosaur kale. In actuality, kale is certainly a type of cabbage, belonging to the Brassica household (together with broccoli and brussel sprouts), however kale leaves compared to cabbage, doesn’t kind a head.

Kale has thick, ruffled, normally darkish inexperienced leaves which have an earthy cabbage taste. Kale is usually grown by the autumn and winter because it is likely one of the few greens that may stand up to frost.

I at all times say that for a salad to be nice in my thoughts, it has to have coloration, crunch, and plenty of taste and these qualities can actually be discovered on this salad. This salad is hearty sufficient to be the principle course, however would even be fantastic as a starter for fall entertaining. Should you not noted the barley, this salad could be an ideal starter for a Thanksgiving menu.

As a result of the kale and sprouts are fairly sturdy in taste, I made a zesty dressing with Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Should you discover the kale a bit of troublesome to chew, therapeutic massage it along with your fingers for a few minutes to melt it earlier than mixing it with the opposite elements.

Different Kale Salads:

Warm Mushroom, Barley, & Kale Salad

Winter Kale & Blood Orange Salad

New Year’s Lentil Salad

Holiday Farro Salad With Kale

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele