Kale and hearty

Pair kale with sweet or tart apples. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Pair kale with sweet or tart apples. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Update the classic spinach salad with kale instead. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Update the classic spinach salad with kale instead. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Kale gets a citrus boost in this salad. Photo: 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Kale gets a citrus boost in this salad. Photo: 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Add turkey or chicken, walnuts and avocado for a kale salad with lots of protein. Credit:...
Add turkey or chicken, walnuts and avocado for a kale salad with lots of protein. Credit: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Add carrots, roasted beetroot, almonds and crumbled goat's cheese into the mix. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Add carrots, roasted beetroot, almonds and crumbled goat's cheese into the mix. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
This kale version of Caesar salad also has sliced sardines and Parmesan cheese. Photo: Copyright 2015 Emily Grosvenor
This kale version of Caesar salad also has sliced sardines and Parmesan cheese. Photo: Copyright 2015 Emily Grosvenor
Slice radishes thin and toss them with kale and sliced green onions. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor
Slice radishes thin and toss them with kale and sliced green onions. Photo: Copyright 2016 Emily Grosvenor

Chopped ultrathin in a style called a chiffonade, kale is a perfect bed upon which to build your salad dreams, says Emily Grosvenor.

Since it is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, with vitamins A, K, C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium and magnesium to boot, kale is pretty much the Tempur-Pedic of salad beds.

Try these simple combinations to become a kale fan for life. 

Apple of your eye

Sweet and tart apples make kale salads meet all of your taste requirements for sweet, bitter, sour and umami.

Try them sliced thin paired with pistachios and feta, and mix gently with a dressing of fig vinegar and high-quality olive oil.

Spinach-less

The classic spinach salad combination of bacon, grape tomatoes, hard-boiled egg and red onion gets an updated nutritional boost by replacing the spinach with kale.

Toss in a vinaigrette made with warm bacon fat, olive oil and your favorite balsamic.

Citrus is the star

Citrus is the star of this salad, which pairs the leafy green with thin-sliced fennel, shaved Parmesan and vinaigrette of lemon and olive oil. For a sweet touch, add a thin-sliced Nashi pear to the mix.

A protein punch

For a dinner salad with a protein punch and plenty of good fats, add pieces of turkey or chicken, chopped walnuts and scooped, diced avocado.

Dress with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.

Veggies deluxe

Veggies abound in this kale salad with grated carrot and diced roasted beet. For extra crunch and the perfect mellowing creaminess, add some thin-sliced almonds and crumbled goat's cheese.

Toss in a vinaigrette with fresh dill or make a creamy dill dressing with plain yogurt, olive oil, dill and garlic.

Caesar salad

If you're a fan of Caesar salad, you'll adore a kale-centered version pairing the leafy green with sliced sardines and Parmesan. Simple and packed with fatty acids, it's a plated nutrition bomb.

Make a dressing of minced garlic with lemon juice and high-quality olive oil.

Rethink the radish

Rethink the radish in this design-friendly stunner where the contrast of red and green makes the plate. Slice the radishes as thin as possible and toss them with the kale, sliced green onions (or chives) and a generous handful of pumpkin seeds.

Dress with good old apple cider vinegar and olive oil and you've got a plate to celebrate early summer.

- Zester Daily and Reuters Media Express

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