Reader Submission: K(C)risp Kale and strawberry salad

Sapna Kokal is a Dhahran food blogger on Instagram who is passionate about cooking and sharing delicious recipes with the world. A strong believer that authentic flavors and great food require a little work but are worth the work, she offers recipes that are practical, healthy, and packed with spice and flavor. 

"Celebrate your lunch or dinner with a beautiful and vibrant bowl of salad," says Kokal "Crisp green kale sprinkled with fresh strawberries and avocados tossed with a silky dressing -- this is such an easy salad to put together and one that you’ll never tire of eating each week."

Kale’s rise to vegetable stardom hasn’t happened overnight. This leafy goodness has evolved over the years ,and there are so many different varieties available in the market. What you want to look for when buying are leaves that are bright, crisp and curly, unblemished (without tiny holes as those indicate insect damage) and unwilted with no yellowing or browning on the edges. 

Kale leaves retain their freshness longer than other greens. This salad is versatile, you can play around with the mix of greens; switch out kale with beet greens or baby spinach, chard or romaine lettuce. 

So why not give it a try.

Ingredients (for 2)

4 cups kale leaves 
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed sea salt
2 tsp lemon juice
12 strawberries
1/3 cup feta cheese
2  avocados
4 tbsp roasted pine nuts

Ingredients for the Dressing

4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
Crushed sea salt & pepper to taste
Balsamic and date vinegar for drizzle

Directions 

1. Rinse kale leaves really well to remove the soil if any. 
2. Pat dry leaves and de-stem - remove the leaves from the tough stems while you tear them into bite size pieces, collecting them in a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle salt, olive oil and lemon juice and massage it gently. It helps to soften up these chewy leaves.
3. Rinse strawberries and half or quarter them, add to the bowl with leaves.
4. Peel and chop avocado into bite size pieces, add to the bowl with leaves and strawberries.
5. Roast pine nuts till they change a shade and are fragrant, keep aside.
6. Crumble feta cheese (you can use a different salty cheese if you wish) and keep aside.
7. Combine ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl, reserving the balsamic vinegar for the drizzle. 
9. Combine the salad with nuts and the dressing, mix it up well to coat the leaves. 
10. Lastly add the crumbled feta and drizzle with balsamic vinegar generously, give everything a quick toss and transfer it over to your salad bowl or plate.

Enjoy!