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. 
some of our faves are asparagus and brussels sprouts too 🙂
This is the only way we eat our asparagus as well. Do people still boil asparagus? Seriously, it’s kind of a waste that way…
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best to share. 🙂
One of my all time faves. Roasted anything, actually, but asparagus gets so crispy and flavorful!
We love to grill asparagus that has been rubbed with olive oil and sea salt–so good! 🙂
Hi there, I’ve been reading your blog for so long now and just wanted to say thanks for all your wonderful recipes. I’ve used so many that have been awesome and really tasty thank you so much! Keep up the good work!
p.s asparagus season is one of the highlights of our year to hehe. So many fantastic things you can do with it! Have you tried roasting it in orange juice and silvered almonds? Devine.
Sezasaurus – Orange and almond does sound tasty! Thanks for the idea.
I can’t remember if I’ve ever had roasted asparagus – roasted broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts definitely but roasted asparagus could be a new one. Sounds awesome! 🙂
We made this last night with grilled pork chops and homemade mac and cheese. I tossed in the olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper and then probably ate 1/4 of them cold while I was waiting for the oven to heat up. Hubby and I each took a serving for our plates after they cooked and then stood in the kitchen eating the rest off the baking sheet before we had dinner! So good and so easy for our favorite veggie!