Tuesday was a warm and sunny day in New York. It was also
farmer's market Tuesday! I never go with any intention of what to buy. When I have done that I've always been disappointed. The key is to go and see whatever looks great and work from there. This week, I spotted beautiful huge bunches of purple kale. They looked so pretty! At two bucks, it was a steal. 
In the past I've made kale chips or pasta with kale and white beans. I wanted to do something different. But what? I did some research and used a recipe from the blog Not Eating Out in New York, I like this blog because it includes cost and health in each entry.
The key to salads with kale seems to be to shred the leaves and "massage" the kale with the dressing. I was afraid that the leaves would be too tough. Nope! I was wrong. The leaves were definitely hearty but not too tough. I brought the leftovers into work the next day and did not have a soggy salad. I love to put a lot of fresh veggies in my salads, but when I opt for Boston lettuce, the leaves get a bit droopy.
I've never bought a pomegranate before and have to admit it was a bit pricey and a lot of work to get those seeds out! I made a HUGE mess in the kitchen with juice splatters all over. After I was done, I went online and read that if you do it under water it's easier since the seeds float up (the gook sinks). Hm mm... maybe I should have thought about that before I dissected mine! I would buy again, but more for a special treat, instead of an weekly item.
What a beautiful fruit!
I am going to use the rest of my kale to make another salad. Since I have all those apples (yes, I still have apples left!). I am going to use them in a kale salad. I think a great combo will be apples, walnuts, and blue cheese. The heartiness of the kale will stand up to the strong flavor and texture of the other ingredients. I plan on using a WW recipe for salad dressing with no oil but OJ and maple syrup to reduce the points/fat.
If you have never tried a kale salad, you should give it a go. Besides being very yummy, it's also one of the healthiest foods out there!
Ingredients: Serves Four
1 bunch kale (I used purple, 1/2 bunch since my bunch was HUGE!)
about 1 cup pomegranate seeds (I used half a pomegranate)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I used lime juice from two limes)
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons mustard (any kind, I used Dijon but you can try with grainier types, too)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
- Remove as much of the stems from the kale leaves as desired. Roll them up lengthwise, and cut into thin, 1/8-inch strips.
- In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard and vinegar. Drizzle in the olive oil while stirring rapidly to emulsify.
- Toss with the kale, and top with the pomegranate seeds.
Nutrition Facts: Amount Per Serving
Calories 156.3Total Fat 7.4 gSaturated Fat 1.0 gPolyunsaturated Fat 0.8 gMonounsaturated Fat 5.0 gCholesterol 0.0 mgSodium 36.6 mgPotassium 226.9 mgTotal Carbohydrate 23.1 gDietary Fiber 2.5 gSugars 5.5 gProtein 2.3 g
Weight Watcher Points: 3 points per serving