Kale Citrus Salad

By Minimalist Baker

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

QUICK PICKLED ONIONS

• 1/4 red onion (thinly sliced)

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• 2 Tbsp water

SALAD

• 1 large bundle lacinto kale (1 large bundle yields ~4 cups // chopped)

• 1 grapfruit or orange (segmented // reserve any juice)

• 1 tart apple (cored and chopped)

• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils or dried cranberries (I used a mix of both)

DRESSING

• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard

• pinch sea salt + black pepper

• 1/2 Tbsp sweetener of choice (such as maple syrup or honey if not vegan)

• 1/3 cup olive oil (plus more for massaging kale)

• 2 Tbsp orange juice (optional // to brighten the flavor)

TOPPINGS (optional)

• Berries in spring and summer

• Cooked quinoa

• Hempseeds, roasted nuts, or sunflower seeds (for extra protein)

Instructions

• Pickle onions by mixing red wine vinegar, water, and sugar in a small bowl and stirring to dissolve. Add sliced onions and let set in the fridge while prepping the rest of the salad. The liquid should cover the onion, so add a bit more vinegar and/or water if needed.

• Add kale to a large mixing bowl with 1-2 tsp olive oil (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and squeeze over reserved grapefruit or orange juice. Use your fingers to massage the kale to break down the bitterness and stiffness.

• Next add apple, grapefruit or orange segments, and pomegranate or cranberries and set aside.

• Prepare dressing in a small mixing bowl by whisking vinegar, mustard, sweetener, and salt and pepper. Stream in olive oil while mixing, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a splash of orange juice to brighten up the flavors, but this is optional.

• Add pickled onions to the salad, as well as the dressing (or reserve it for serving), toss and serve. Leftovers keep up to a couple of days in the fridge, though best when fresh.