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Kale, Apple + Crispy Lentil Salad with Ginger Almond Butter Dressing


This is likely the first post of many in the coming weeks involving apples. We went apple picking last weekend and opted for the 20 lb bag…and it’s a whole lot more apples than I anticipated. But, really, do you ever get sick of apples? I certainly don’t. Especially when the apples are organic, freshly picked and the crispest, most delicious apples I have ever had the pleasure of biting into. I’ll share more from our apple picking adventure soon (spoiler alert: it involves a certain adorable toddler and something sweet!), but I could not wait to share this salad.

 

Yes, it’s another kale salad. But this salad has a lot going for it to set it apart from the rest. First and foremost, the almond butter dressing. I could drink this stuff straight. Just like my roasted shallot dressing from this post, this dressing almost steals the show. It is perfect drizzled over this salad. Apples and almond butter are always a winning combination, and I love the savory riff here. Fresh ginger, a bit of tamari, a glug of maple syrup and a spoonful of mustard really round out the flavors of the dressing and lend so much flavor to this salad. I find that raw kale needs a robust dressing to penetrate its toughness and distinctive flavor. This dressing totally does that.

A raw kale salad also begs for texture, and this salad delivers. The slightly tart, crisp apples, paired with crunchy and warmly-spiced lentils and creamy goat cheese stand up to the kale’s heartiness and really elevate this salad. As with any kale salad I make, I add the extra step of massaging the kale with oil, vinegar and salt and leave it to sit for a while as I prepare the other salad components. Massaging your salad sounds fussy, I know. I mean, I’d like a massage…why does my salad get one? But really, it only takes a couple minutes, and all you’re doing is pressing the oil, vinegar and salt into the kale with your hands. Doing so helps tenderize the kale, which can be tough and chewy. This step also adds a lot of flavor and helps your dressing better penetrate the kale and tame the raw kale flavor that can otherwise be overwhelming.

Because kale is so hearty, this salad keeps well, even after dressing it. This is a great salad to prepare in advance for a dinner party or for weekday lunches. Even Rose ate this salad! She hasn’t really jumped on the raw kale bandwagon yet. I can’t say I blame her, as I cannot imagine eating it without a full set of molars. But she had a good amount of this salad. I suspect the apples, goat cheese and almond butter dressing had something to do with it.

Have a wonderful day!
xx Maggie

Kale, Apple + Crispy Lentil Salad with Ginger Almond Butter Dressing

Created by on 2017-09-20

Related

  • Prep Time: 30m
  • Cook Time: 20m
  • Total Time: 50m
  • Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 bunch of kale, washed, de-stemmed and roughly chopped (about 6 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups crispy lentils (recipe below)
  • 2 small apples or 1 large, thinly sliced (I used Crimson Golds, but Honeycrisp or Pink Lady would be lovely, too)
  • 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (leave out for vegan, or use cashew cheese)
  • almond butter dressing (recipe below)

For the crispy lentils:

  • 2 cups black lentils, already cooked
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice

For the dressing:

  • 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons water (or more, depending on the consistency of your almond butter)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Combine kale, ACV, olive oil and salt in a large bowl. With your hands, massage oil, vinegar and salt into the kale for a few minutes. The kale will soften a bit and become more vibrant. Set aside.
  3. Make the lentils. If you haven’t already, cook the lentils according to the package directions minus a few minutes, to leave them on the al dente side (because you will be cooking them further). I like to make a large batch of lentils at the beginning of the week to have on hand for a variety of uses, like this salad. Cooking 1 cup of dried lentils will yield more cooked lentils than you need for this recipe. Use the leftovers in salads, soups or dips! Drain the lentils and pat them dry. On a large baking sheet, combine 2 cups of the cooked lentils with the oil, salt, cumin and allspice. Roast for about 20-25 minutes until crispy.
  4. Make the dressing. While the lentils are roasting, make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or use a handheld mixer and a wide mouth container. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water if necessary to reach a consistency ideal for dressing (i.e. easy to drizzle).
  5. Assemble the salad. Combine the massaged kale, crispy lentils, sliced apples and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with almond butter dressing and toss to coat.
  6. Enjoy!

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