Kale Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Almonds

Step 1

I created a video below that shows you all the prep steps, such as how to slice the Brussels, kale, toast almonds and massage the salad.

Step 2

Coarsely chop the almonds using a serrated knife. These do not have to be uniform in size at all.Measure out 1/2 cup of olive oil into a measuring cup. Take out 1 tablespoon of oil from the 1/2 cup and put it into a skillet (you will use the remainder of the olive oil for the dressing). Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped almonds to the skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots. Transfer nuts to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle the almonds with some fine Celtic sea salt. Set them aside to cool.

Step 3

Now it’s time to prep the rest of the ingredients. Wash, de-stem and thinly slice your kale. I always wash and de-stem my kale ahead of time to save myself a step here. If you’re not sure how to de-stem and slice kale then you can check out my post on how to de-stem and thinly slice kale.

Step 4

To a small glass jar, add the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and whisk to combine. Don't add the olive oil yet, you will add that in a bit.  Set the dressing aside while you prep the Brussels sprouts, so that the flavors can meld.

Step 5

Let's prep the Brussels. You will have to shave/thinly slice the Brussels for this recipe, but it's easy. You can use the slicing disc on a food processor, mandoline, or a sharp knife (that's what I used).Rinse Brussels in a colander. Check out the video in the above blog post to see how to slice the sprouts for the salad using a knife, or you can watch the full video below.

Step 6

Pull apart sliced sprouts, as they can stick together.

Step 7

In a large salad bowl, mix together the thinly sliced kale and the Brussels sprouts.

Step 8

Now it's time to finish the dressing. Slowly whisk the remaining olive oil into the lemon-juice mixture. Whisk well to combine the dressing.

Step 9

Add ½ of the dressing to the greens.

Step 10

Massage the dressing into the kale. When I say, massage your kale, I literally mean, get your hands in there and massage it, like your giving a massage. When you massage kale, not only does it absorb the dressing, but it also breaks down the kale almost like when it’s cooked, and takes away any bitter flavor. Massage the kale until it's about half of its original size.

Step 11

Keep adding the dressing to taste as you massage it. Taste the salad, and if you want to add more dressing, then add a bit more. The amount of dressing you put in is totally to taste. Some people like their salads with tons of dressing, and others like them lightly dressed.

Step 12

The dressing makes enough for a double batch of this salad, so if you find that you've got extra dressing, then you can store it in a sealed container for a few days. Just make sure to whisk or shake it before you use it next.

Step 13

Add in the toasted almonds and the Pecorino cheese and toss to combine.

Step 14

This salad tastes great day two, so don't fret if you have leftovers. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.

Step 15

Also, if you want to turn this salad into a full meal, top the salad with some shredded chicken.