The #1 Salad You Need to Make This Winter to Get Your Veggies In
If you're trying to lose weight, manage a chronic health condition or simply want to feel you best, vegetables can help. For me (and many others) the first thing that pops into my head when I'm needing more veggies is salad, as it's a great way to get a bunch in at a single meal. But with the colder winter weather, salad doesn't necessarily scream "satisfying". Of course there's also soup and roasted veggies, but some days I only have the energy to pile greens onto my plate and top with store-bought dressing—which can quickly get boring. Then I remembered this Massaged Kale Salad. It's insanely easy to make and with lots with garlic, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, it makes eating veggies seriously delicious! If you're also struggling on the veggie front, here's why this will be your new favorite salad for the winter.
It uses just five ingredients
Not including basics, like salt, pepper and oil, this salad calls for kale, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic and soy sauce (and optional anchovy paste). I don't know about you but I tend to have everything but the kale in my kitchen at all times, so simply picking up a few bunches on your weekly shopping trip means you can easily make this salad for lunch or dinner when you have the craving. I like to use lacinato kale (also called tuscan or dinosaur kale) in this salad, which I find is not as coarse as the curly kale.
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It holds up well in the fridge
Kale is a hearty green and holds up well in this salad. I typically make the full recipe, which serves six, and because it's just my husband and I, there are plenty of delicious leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day. I honestly think it tastes even better the second day, after the kale has had more time to soak up the delicious flavors. Or, if you were trying to get ahead on some dinner prep for the week, you could make this ahead of time and refrigerate the entire salad for a day or so—but it may be hard to wait to eat it!
It's a great base for salmon, chicken or any protein
To turn this easy salad into a full meal, all you need to do is add an easy protein source, like salmon (try this Smoky Maple Mustard Salmon or these Easy Salmon Cakes), chicken (like this Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken), a vegetarian protein (like these Falafel Patties) or really whatever you have on hand. I love pairing this salad with a piece of cheesy whole-wheat toast for a super easy lunch.
It really is the easiest, most delicious salad ever
While the recipe says it takes 30 minutes to make, you'll be able to do it in half the time the more you make it. And with the fresh garlic, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, you really can't go wrong with this flavor trifecta—even if your not typically a huge kale fan. Not to mention, it's a nutritious addition to your day. Plan to grab some kale on your next shopping trip and chances are after you have this tasty salad just once, you'll be making it every week.