It’s been a while since I’ve shared a salad recipe on the blog, so I thought I would share one that’s a big-time staple for me when I’m feeling like I’ve been a bit too indulgent for too long. I came across this recipe for the first time when I was creating my 14 Day Detox Challenge, and I was so impressed with how tasty and satisfying it was. It’s packed full of superfoods like kale, hemp hearts, parsley, sesame seeds, walnuts, avocado oil and tons of fibre to keep everything moving along your insides efficiently.
If you’re new to eating kale, make sure you take some time to give each leaf a quick massage between your fingers before chopping it up. This just makes it softer, easier to digest and more palatable. I like to do this while I’m washing it to save a step, then I just pat it dry with a clean dish towel and pulse it in the food processor to chop it into small pieces. I also use the food processor in this recipe for the red cabbage, otherwise, I feel like I’m chopping for days. If you don’t have a food processor and you’re chopping by hand, try to make the cabbage pieces as small as possible otherwise you’ll have a lot of chewing to do when you’re ready to dive in.
The dressing for this salad is really simple and you can either make one large batch of it or just make it fresh as you need it. All I do is squeeze half a lemon into a small bowl, add a few glugs (yes, a real measurement :P) of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, a pinch of ground mustard and a pinch of Herbamere. You can add a bit of sweetener like honey or maple syrup if you want, but I usually skip it. Generally speaking, I like to keep my sugar consumption to foods that are total treats like ice cream or chocolate, otherwise, my cravings for the stuff can get out of hand. If you’re interested in reading about what I do when I’m feeling completely addicted to sugar, you can read all about my top strategies for quitting sugar in this post.
Health Benefits of the Detox Kale Salad
If you’re not convinced that this is a recipe you should consider trying, here are a few of the health benefits associated with eating some of these awesome superfoods.
- Kale is high in vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K
- Kale is also high in antioxidants which play a key role in helping counteract the negative effects of oxidative damage. (Oxidative damage is one of the major contributors to chronic illnesses such as Cancer.)
- Cabbage is a great source of insoluble fibre which acts like a broom in the intestines and adds bulk to the stool for healthy bowel movements.
- Carrots are high in beta-carotene which your body converts into vitamin A – an antioxidant.
- Hemp hearts are rich in essential fatty acids including omega-3 and omega-6. Hemp hearts are also a great source of plant-based protein.
- Walnuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and help support brain function.
Detox Kale Salad
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Salad
Description
This kale salad is packed full of vitamins, phytonutrients, and antioxidants and gives your body what it needs to function efficiently and feel great. The variety of plant-based superfoods give this salad flavour that packs a punch!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale
- 3 medium carrots (grated)
- 2 cups finely chopped red cabbage
- 1 red pepper (diced)
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup hemp hearts
- 4 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- goat feta (optional)
Tangy Lemon Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp Herbamere
- 2 tsp maple syrup ((optional))
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Start by washing your Kale, massaging each leaf between your fingers. Pat dry with a clean dish towel and lay flat to dry while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Using a food processor, pulse cabbage into small pieces.
- Dice red pepper, grate carrots and finely chop parsley.
- Chop kale into small pieces either by hand or by pulsing in the food processor.
- Add all ingredients into a large bowl (I always use a bowl with a lid so I can store the leftovers in the fridge), leaving out the goat feta.
- Top salad with goat feta and dressing just before serving.