It’s kale month at One Green Planet!! That makes April one of the most exciting months of the year. Honestly, every month is kale month for me I love kale so much. It’s always in the fridge and makes it on my plate practically every day. Sometimes my collards and broccoli get jealous so I change up my greens, but I eat them at every meal when possible. Kale has a wealth of health benefits, so why not eat it every day?

I saw a kale waldorf salad on the Whole Foods website and thought to myself that sure sounds good. My recipe is more traditional using vegan mayo as the dressing for a richer, familiar flavor. The trick to making the most perfect raw kale salad is to massage the greens with something acidic and salty. This starts to break down the cellulose walls of the kale, making it less bitter and more tender.

So don’t be shy with that kale! Get your hands in there and give it a good massage with the dressing for about 5 minutes.

After your kale is massage toss in all the salad ingredients. I went the traditional route and added grapes, apples, celery, and toasted walnuts. Please pan-toast your walnuts, it really adds a flavor punch to the salad. But if you are allergic to nuts you could toast sunflower seeds instead.

Kale Waldorf Salad Ingredients:
Makes about 5 servings

• 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Dash sea salt and black pepper
• 1 bunch kale, washed and leaves removed from stem
• 1 cup red grapes, sliced in half
• 1 cup chopped apple
• 2 celery stalks, cut on diagonal
• ½ cup chopped walnuts, pan-toasted

Preparation:

1. Whisk together the vegan mayo, mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper.
2. Chop or use your hands to tear kale into small pieces.
3. Pour dressing over the kale and massage for about 5 minutes.
4. Toss the rest of ingredients with the kale and let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
5. Season more with salt and pepper as needed.

Salad ingredients tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so when serving be sure to grab the fruit and nuts from underneath the kale. Salad will be better the next day and will last up to 5 days in the fridge.

Note: Since the size of a bunch of kale varies from store to store and season to season, you may need more dressing. After massaging the kale, taste a piece to determine if you want to add more.

For more starters, salads and side dishes check out the following:  

• Amazing World Kale Salads
• The Best Vegan Dips, Spreads and Salsas
• Spring Rolls with Wakame
• Sesame Tofu + Broccoli Salad
• Lentil Crusted Tofu
• Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce