Kale Salad With Sunflower Sprouts Carrots and Pomegranates
What a way to start a food blog with one of our family’s favourite salads. Yes, even my 15-year old love salads! But this didn’t happen overnight. You see, my boy grew up not watching cartoons but the sports networks and The Food Channel. So you can just imagine cooking for your child whose idea of a delicious meal being the celebrity chef’s creations! But like they say patience and perseverance always pay off. One meal at a time and my foodie is finally on my side. He’s my greatest fan and hardline critic rolled into one. I love it! My kitchen is always busy as he doesn’t just have the appetite but also his own ideas about great flavours or what is exciting and yummy - which makes food preparation even more interesting for me.
So kale has been getting a lot of attention lately which is deserving for the king of greens. It could very well be the new beef! It’s packed with nutrients and is high in iron, Vitamins A, K, calcium and protein among other things. Sunflower sprouts or micro greens are also powerhouses of nutrition. They are little plants just breaking out from the seeds and are loaded with enzymes, Vitamins A, D, E and B complex and 3.5 oz. of these sprouts boasts 25 g. of proteins! Adding carrots and pomegranates to this salad just make it a nutritious mix for our plates!
Kale Salad With Sunflower Sprouts Carrots and Pomegranates
Ingredients:
1 bunch curly kale de-stemmed, washed, finely sliced and dried
2 medium size carrots peeled and grated
1 1/2 c. sunflower sprouts
seeds of 1 pomegranate
1/4 c. Hemp seeds
Creamy Sesame Dressing:
1/2 c. unhulled sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c. organic and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 c. warm water
11/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 t. Himalayan salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1. To remove the seeds of the pomegranate, cut it in half then get a bowl and fill it with water. Submerge them into the water then pry out the seeds from the rind with your fingers. Remove the white pith as much as you can. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the white pith will float.
2. Place all the ingredients for the dressing into a blender, a magic bullet or Nutribullet and blend until smooth. Add a little more water if you find it too thick. With your hands, “massage” the dressing into your kale ‘til it gets soft and nicely coated. Taste the kale and adjust accordingly… it may need more sweetness, tanginess or salt. Let it sit for 15 mins. in order for the dressing to be absorbed.
3. Just before serving, add the carrots, sprouts, pomegranate seeds and sprinkle the hemp hearts. When serving the salad to guests, put the toppings on each plate…it’s great for them to see and enjoy the vibrant colours of the dish!