Kale Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
Photos and recipe by Aly Miller
Every holiday menu needs some greens to balance out all the potatoes, casseroles and pies, and this kale salad is an unexpected and beautiful approach. Bright red seeds and chartreuse pistachios atop a bed of soft kale with maple-mustard vinaigrette, this is far from your average kale salad. Even the most meat-and-potatoes crowd will beg you for the recipe after the meal (I would know--my entire Midwestern extended family are all kale converts because of this salad)!
For the ultimate vegan Thanksgiving menu, pair with Mujaderra Stuffed Acorn Squash and Potato-Cauliflower Mash with Mushroom Gravy.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of kale, any kind
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt
1 pomegranate
1/3 cup nuts of your choice, roughly chopped (pistachios, walnuts, or pine nuts are great options)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp stone ground mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp salt
Remove the tough center stems of kale leaves. Then chiffonade the leaves into ribbons, or chop into bite sized pieces. Set aside in a large bowl.
Pour the lemon juice over the kale and massage the kale with your fingers, rubbing the lemon juice into the leaves so they become soft. Add a little bit of salt and keep massaging for a minute or so.
Cut pomegranate into a few large pieces, and gently peel the seeds away from the pith. Place them into a bowl and set aside.
Next, heat a pan or skillet over medium heat and toast the pistachios just until they become fragrant. Take off the heat and set aside.
Whisk together a dressing of olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, maple syrup and salt.
Assemble the salad in a large serving bowl, adding the pomegranate seeds and toasted nuts on top. Toss with the dressing, and serve!