Simple Lemony Kale Salad

Lemony Kale salad with Hopebird pumpkin seeds

This summer, the bunnies have been eating just about all of my kale. Fortunately, my local farmers market carries fresh Lacinato (Dinosaur) kale from Racing Heart Farm, and it's better than anything I could ever grow. My son is not a fan of kale and he simply devoured this salad.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 large bunch of Lacinato (Dinosaur) kale — about 5 cups of loosely-packed kale.

• ½ cup of shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (or more to taste).

• ½ cup of Hopebird Sriracha-Cha pumpkin seeds. Greek Lemon Dill pumpkin seeds would also be great on this salad.

• Optional additions: Red pepper flakes, micro-greens, little grape tomatoes and fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary or oregano.

  
  

For the Lemon Vinaigrette

• Fresh-squeezed juice from one lemon.

• Zest from half the lemon (or more to taste).

• 2 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (we like Greek Kalamata olive oil).

• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced.

• Coarse salt (we like Diamond Crystal salt flakes) and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  

Preparing the Kale

Wash and dry the kale. Remove ribs and tear or slice the kale into small pieces.

Making the Lemon Vinaigrette

In a jar, add the vinaigrette ingredients and shake well.

Massage your Kale

In a large salad bowl, drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad. Important step: massage the vinaigrette into the Lacinato kale, ensuring every piece of kale is coated. This helps break down the cellulose fiber, making the leaves more tender.

Add parmesan cheese and half of the pumpkin seeds. Toss salad and add the remaining pumpkin seeds on top.

Serving your Salad

After mixing, let your salad sit for a few minutes. This rest period allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Toss in any extra ingredients (we added the adorable Sprinkles® teeny tiny tomatoes from Trader Joe's). Serve this salad chilled or at room temperature.

Health Benefits

Not only is this Lemony Kale Salad delicious, but it is also incredibly nutritious.

• Kale: is a phytonutrient / antioxidant. It supplies Vitamin K (crucial for bone health), Calcium, Vitamin C and other essential minerals.

• Hopebird Raw Organic, Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds. A 1/4 cup serving of Hopebird pumpkin seeds carries about 8 grams of protein, 40% of your Magnesium, 60% of your Manganese, plus Omega-3s and other Essential Minerals.

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: This heart-healthy fat aids your body in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins from the greens.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Supports heart and gut health

• Nutritional Yeast: Rich source of protein, fiber, and B vitamins, particularly B12

Buy Local

Buying local supports farmers and small businesses. Fresh local produce tastes better, and it's more nutritious because it doesn't need to travel far. Sometimes you'll find kale that was just picked that morning!

Where to Find Hopebird Organic Pumpkin Seeds

• Thursday evenings at the Minneapolis Uptown Farmers Market, through September 25th https://uptownmarket.org • Most Sunday mornings in September at the Minneapolis Linden Hills Farmers Market https://www.lindenhillsfarmersmarket.org • Online by reaching out to us via the contact form on this site. Or email info@hopebirdkitchen.com Find Racing Heart Farm produce on Sundays at the Linden Hills, Minneapolis Farmers market https://www.lindenhillsfarmersmarket.org

Enjoy your new go-to salad!