Massaged Kale Salad, Three Ways offers several variations to spice up your normal kale salad.
All of these simple salads are nutrient dense and loaded with fiber from vegetables, fruits, protein, and healthy fats–all key ingredients to make a filling meal to hold you over and keep your energy up for the day ahead.
Massaged Kale Salad
If you’re new to massaging kale as a technique to enjoy raw kale, then hop over to this article first and read up on Massaged Kale Salad! I especially love kale salad because it’s a hearty green that doesn’t wilt like other greens. It’s perfect for batch cooking!
I typically make a large batch of the Massaged Kale Salad, then add in the ingredients listed below as the week goes on. That way I can have three different salads! This will save you so much time and you’ll still get to enjoy a variety of salads throughout the week.
Feel free to boost the ingredient amounts depending on your individual goals and energy needs. You can also swap out the proteins for other sources that you enjoy!
What Is A Foundational Five Nourish Meal?
The Foundational Five Nourish Meal is any meal that contains all 5 elements within the Foundational Five, non-starchy carbohydrates, starchy carbohydrates, healthy fat, protein, and the Flavor Factor.
By following this simple template it keeps food flexible, fun, and nourishing. Our Foundational Five Nourish Meals can be found as yogurts, oatmeal bowls or breakfast bowls, nourish bowls, salads, soups and stews, and stir-frys.
Any meal can be made into a Foundational Five Nourish Meal by just knowing the system I teach in our Method Membership and in my free guide about creating healthy eating habits with ease, that you can get right here!
1. Root Vegetable Kale Salad
This salad contains delicious golden raisins, fiber and vitamin A rich kale and root vegetables, topped with omega-3 rich walnuts and protein-rich edamame.
What you’ll need:
- 2-3 cups Massaged Kale Salad recipe below
- 3 tablespoons golden raisins
- 1 cup roasted root vegetable you enjoy (sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, turnips, celery root, etc.) cut into chunks
- 1/2-1 cup edamame
- 1/4 cup walnuts
Assembly: Take massaged kale salad and stir in all the remaining ingredients until combined. I recommend dressing this with the Zesty Lemon Shallot Dressing.
2. Vegan Caesar Salad
Traditional Caesar dressings are typically loaded with saturated fat and calories, plus some use iceberg lettuce as the base which is not as nutrient dense as it’s close counterpart romaine and still not as nutrient dense as kale! This Caesar salad is made vegan by using only healthy fats, fiber, and plant protein to get the desired texture and consistency of traditional Caesar dressing.
What you’ll need:
- 2-3 cups Massaged Kale Salad recipe below
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup chickpeas
- garlic, optional
Assembly: Prepare massaged kale salad and set aside in a serving bowl. In a blender or food processor, combine avocado, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and optional garlic and a dash of apple cider vinegar. Blend together for a thick and creamy dressing. Pour over kale and combine, then top with chickpeas. If you’d like to add another protein source instead of a vegetarian-friendly protein, try grilled chicken. Enjoy!
On-the-go? If you don’t have a blender simply mash all of the “wet” ingredients with the back of your fork working it into the romaine lettuce or massaged kale.
3. Nutrition Stripped Cobb Salad
Cobb salad is one of the most classic salads for good reason – it’s full of goodies! Those goodies may also add up to a substantial amount of calories as well. Here’s my take on a “light” Cobb Salad. Feel free to use other dressings you enjoy, but I promise you you’ll love this tahini inspired dressing!
What you’ll need:
- 2-3 cups Massaged Kale Salad recipe below
- 2 whole hard-boiled eggs (add more egg whites for a protein boost)
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4-1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
- 1/4-1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons chopped olives
Dressing idea: Sweet Tahini Drizzle
Assembly: Hard boil eggs in advance, then peel egg from the shell and dice or slice into rounds. Add carrots, red bell peppers, and cucumber on top of the bed of kale. Pour dressing on top and stir everything to combine.
