Food trends come and go, and whether it's a fad or here to stay, these days folks love kale. Kale salads, kale chips, kale stir fries, kale smoothies. You name it, and kale is in it. It's a full-blown kale-bonanza.
Naturally a bit fickle, I wasn't fast to jump on the kale-loving band wagon until I tasted the Dr. Weil's Tuscan Kale Salad at his restaurant, True Food Kitchen in LA.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a nice bowl of bright steamed kale tossed with butter and sea salt, but the simple flavor combination in this salad – bitter, tart, and salty – had me truly captivated. I was thinking about this Tuscan kale salad at inappropriate moments – in the shower, while drifting off to sleep.
So I had to try it out for myself.
This paleo/primal version was brought about because of my mostly gluten-free hubby. I subbed almond meal for bread crumbs, and it's still magically delicious.
All hail kale!
Paleo Tuscan kale salad ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 bunches black lacinto kale
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 2 ounces Pecorino cheese – primal option
Paleo Tuscan kale salad method
- Juice the lemon and mash the garlic.
- To make the dressing, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a pinch of hot red pepper flakes in a large bowl.
- Finely chop the kale and remove stem and tough central ribs. Add chopped kale to the bowl with the dressing. Grate the optional pecorino cheese and add two-thirds to the kale.
- Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge, preferably overnight.
- Before serving, add almond meal, toss again, and top with remaining cheese, if using.
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