Massaged Kale Salad with Pear and Pumpkin Seeds
Have you guys tried massaged kale salads yet? Just over a year ago, I made my first one. It was the first time I had ever even eaten kale. Since that first massaged kale salad, we’ve been eating them a LOT. You can throw almost anything in a kale salad and it’s going to be good. And the best part is that once the kale salad is dressed, it doesn’t get all soggy and nasty like a dressed lettuce salad.
This massaged kale salad with pear and pumpkin seeds has been packed in my lunch box regularly for the past couple of weeks. I get a big bag of kale on Sunday and whip out 5 salads, one for each day of the week. I love the crunch from the pear and the subtle aroma of the nutmeg in the salad. (Also, I prefer to use red pears, but when I just put pears on the list, Hubby grabbed the ones in the photos. Any kind of pear will work here)
One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cranberry Pecan Upside Down Cake
Two Years Ago: Thanksgiving Two-Fer Bars
Three Years Ago: Outrageous Oreo Crunch Brownies and Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Four Years Ago: Potato Pancakes with Cran-Applesauce and Potato Bread (my FIRST time using yeast!)
Massaged Kale Salad with Pear and Pumpkin Seeds
Yield: Serves 5-6
Ingredients:
1 large (16 oz) bag Kale
3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ripe avocado
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
5 Tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 red pears, chopped
Directions:
In large serving bowl, add the kale, lemon juice, and olive oil (start with just 3 Tbsp, add the last if you need it). Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the avocado and continue to massage with your hands.
Season with salt and nutmeg. Taste kale and reseason if necessary.
Mix in the pumpkin seeds and pears. Serve or store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Recipe from Beantown Baker
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
fig vinegar? i am assuming this is the balsamic vinegar?
beantownbaker — February 7th, 2013 @ 6:34 am
I fixed the recipe to be consistent. Any dark flavored vinegar that you enjoy would be perfect in this recipe.
This dish sounds delicious, I love roasting veggies.
beantownbaker — February 8th, 2013 @ 10:14 am
Me too. In fact it’s pretty much the only way I prepare veggies…
I love roasted veggies, especially beets! Looks beautiful.
beantownbaker — February 11th, 2013 @ 11:21 am
Beets are one of my favorites too. Can you believe I had never had one until a couple years ago?!?
I used 4 tbs butter and 4 tbs olive oil.
Tossed vegatables, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, 2 tsp or so dry sage and 2 tsp or so dry rosemary in large bowl and then spread on two baking sheets.
Roasted for 30 minutes and then rotated cooking sheets in oven and roasted for another 30 minutes. No stirring required
Added 4 smoked Polish sausages cut into 1″ pieces for last 30 minutes.
Next time I will line cooking sheets with foil to make cleanup simpler.
A real keeper!!
beantownbaker — October 28th, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
What a great addition with the sausages!!
I had a beet that was wasting away in the fridge and a lonely turnip too. So I added them and 2 large carrots, all peeled and chunked, into a baking dish. Topped with 2 Tbsp sliced butter, coated with 2 tsp dried sage, half tsp rosemary, salt & pepper. After 1 hour in the oven, stirred, splashed with apple cider vinegar, and served. Very satisfying, and a nice accompaniment to roast chicken. Thanks for sharing!
beantownbaker — April 16th, 2014 @ 6:00 pm
Yum!