I have only a few raised beds and I’m a seriously lazy gardener, but even so, the end of summer garden harvest keeps me busy and means my grocery bill is significantly lower for a few weeks.
There are a few key members of my family who feel that kale should no longer be on the menu. We’ve eaten enough, thank you. The problem is, my garden keeps producing the stuff, even though my ‘gardening’ usually involves walking by on the way out and thinking – I should water that. Kale is delicious and soaks up sauce and flavour without wilting like lettuce. (my same kale resisters also resist tofu, even though tofu is basically just an amazing conduit for Thai curry sauce).
Napa cabbage, when shredded, adds crunch and a wilt-free texture to this salad – and, it’s also a plant that just keeps on giving in my garden.
The maple tahini dressing tastes creamy and rich, thanks to the tahini and the nutritional yeast. Lemon juice adds a tart flavour and the maple syrup infuses a touch of sweetness. This makes a great side dish to grilled meat or a pasta dish, or you could add some cooked quinoa and you’ve got a full meal of a salad.
Kale and Napa Cabbage Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
Fall salad with crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale (a bunch is a bit subjective. I ended up with about 2-3 cups of shredded kale) I used the dark lacinato kale
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/3 to 1/2 head napa cabbage (again, subjective. I used about 3 1/2 cups chopped)
- 1 cup grated carrot (about 1 -2 carrots, depending on size)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and/or sliced almonds
Dressing
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp (heaping) nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Tear the kale from the thick stem into one inch (approx) chunks. Chop and shred the napa cabbage to coleslaw-size. Grate the carrots.
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Wash and spin the kale. Sprinkle with some sea salt and using your hands, shred and tear the kale even more, it will turn a slightly darker green. This step will make the kale easier to chew.
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Place all vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss.
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Toast the sunflower seeds and/or almonds in a frying pan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and set aside.
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Add all the dressing ingredients into a glass measuring cup and whisk together well.
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Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Let the salad sit at least 15 minutes before eating to let the flavours develop and the kale and cabbage soften. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
This sounds awesome! It’s on my list to try this weekend.