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finished salad in a bowl

Ok guys, so I’ve been posting about this salad a LOT on my social media lately because it is my absolute favorite way to eat kale right now. I eat it almost every single day. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the recipe, so I thought I’d put it down formally to get all the details out of my head! :D And without further ado…let’s get this thing on paper! :P

About the Cheesy Kale Salad

The Cheesy Kale Salad has become such a lifesaver for me because it allows to me to eat raw kale in a way that I find totally pleasant. A couple months ago, I started doing research on dressings that would work well with kale. You know, something super hearty that would stand up to the robust flavor of kale.

finished salad in a bowl closeup

Up until that point I had been stuffing myself silly with the Mexican Salad (see my YouTube vlogs from about August-September 2016 :P) and I was getting burnt out on it. That salad is mostly romaine, plus some beans, etc, with low-sodium salsa for dressing. A very light salad.

I was in the mood for a big change, so I went into the Fuhrman Facebook groups and started asking around for everyone’s favorite way to prepare kale salads, and someone mentioned tahini.

And it was all over from there. :D

finished salad in a bowl

What If I Don’t Really Like Kale?

This recipe’s directions are pretty specific and I think that specificity is super important because so many people don’t like kale, but also, so many places that serve kale get it ALL WRONG. You don’t just rip some kale off the stalk and put some dressing on it. Eck. The two things that suck about kale for people who aren’t yet fans are this:

  • Kale has a very unpleasant texture: super rough, papery and difficult to eat.
  • Kale tastes way too green and the flavor is just unbearable.

And I get it. Many of my friends have said the same thing, and I admit…I even hated kale at first. I even did a Facebook Live one day about how to like kale more, so if you ever thought the things above, check out that video to see my answer to the question, “What If I Don’t Like Kale?”

How to Make the Cheesy Kale Salad

Aright, so here are the steps. Try to do it like this, and if you really don’t like kale…try some of the tips from the FB live above and keep trying! It takes 15-20 tries of a food before we learn to love it. And with the nutrients that kale packs, plus the fact that it’s super low calories…it’s worth it to get it into your weekly routine!

the kale

Strip the kale leaves off the stems and discard the stems. You’ll have a lot of kale that looks like these long strips.

the kale

Using gloves if you like, (because the green from the kale can make your nails green a bit, but totally washes off in a half day) tear the kale into bite size pieces.

squeeze and massage the kale

Squeeze and massage the kale very hard for about 1-2 minutes or until the kale is very soft and a more pleasant texture.

i wear gloves for the massaging part

When the kale is the right texture, it will be, much softer to the touch, the color will be a dark green and it will look more wet.

the salad accidentally fell in the trash can

Do not accidentally throw your whole bowl of kale into the trash can and on the floor.

squeezing the lemon juice

Squeeze lemon juice onto the kale.

spooning the tahini

Drizzle tahini over the kale and then mix the salad vigorously until the tahini is evenly distributed.

sprinkling the nutritional yeast on top

Sprinkle the nutritional yeast on top and mix.

And your salad is complete! This salad actually keeps well in the fridge for 3 days, so feel free to make ahead of time and pull some out when you want a meal. The Cheesy Kale Salad pairs well with almost any vegetable on top, like steamed broccoli or sweet potatoes, raw onions, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Check out some of the ideas I share on my Instagram (and then follow me!) to see many different way that I eat this salad.

Check out the Cheesy Kale Salad on My Instagram

cheesy kale salad on instagram

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"Cheesy" Kale Salad Recipe | Vegan | Nutritarian
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1-2 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Strip the kale leaves off the stems and discard the stems. You'll have a lot of kale that looks like these long strips. Tear the kale into bite size pieces. Squeeze and massage the kale very hard for about 1-2 minutes or until the kale is very soft and a more pleasant texture. When the kale is the right texture, it will be, much softer to the touch, the color will be a dark green and it will look more wet.
  2. Add the lemon tahini and lemon juice to the kale and stir vigorously to evenly distribute the tahini. Add the nutritional yeast and stir to combine. Serve.

And here is an old video of me making my kale salad in a similar way, but not the exact recipe that I’ve been using lately, but it’s a good demo of the technique.

finished salad in a bowl

Give this salad a try and let me know what you think of it down below!

finished salad in a bowl from the top