This Kale Radish Salad with Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Chive Pesto Vinaigrette is a vibrant cheerful salad full of flavor and crunchy goodness.
Not only am I pesto obsessed but I am also salad obsessed! Put the two together and you have a beautiful melding of flavors. The beauty of a kale salad is that you can eat them hot or cold. Heat up some bread and serve it with the roasted yellow bell pepper chive pesto.
Kale is so nutrient-dense, it keeps your skin and eyes healthy. Who wouldn’t want that? It also satisfies you, leaving you full and helps prevent overeating by reducing cravings for unhealthy foods.
This salad is great with a dry red wine like a Red Rioja, Pinot Noir or Merlot. And for a white, try a Verdejo, White Rioja, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.
Kale Radish Salad with Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Chive Pesto Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Chive Pesto Vinaigrette - recipe bellow
- 1 Head Kale about 7 cups – chopped into thin strips
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 Cups Radishes of your choice I used French Breakfast, Pink and Watermelon Radishes – thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cup Red Cabbage – minced
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper – roasted - sliced or diced
- Toasted Pepitas Seeds or Almonds - optional
Pepitas
- 1 1/2 Cups Pepitas or Almonds
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Vinaigrette
- 1 Small Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Chives
- 1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts
- /3 Cup Aged Asiago Cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
Pepitas or Almonds
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lined a large baking sheet with parchment.
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Mix the pepitas or almonds, oil and salt together and spread out on the parchment-lined large baking sheet.
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Bake for 18 minutes on the middle rack.
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Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Peppers
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Roast peppers on the stovetop on medium-high heat. A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove.
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Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs. When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
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Take a paper towel and rub off the char. It’s ok to leave a little of the char.
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Slice in half and remove the seeds and stems and then dice them.
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Pesto Vinaigrette
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Cut the chives into 1-inch pieces so you can measure it.
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Finely shred the cheese and measure everything then add to a food processor or blender and puree.
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Scrape the sides at least one time.
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Mix pesto with the vinegars, lemon juice, and salt.
Salad
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Wash kale and tear off the main rib by holding the end of the stem and sliding off the leaves then chop into thin strips
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In a large bowl, add kale with the olive oil and massage the oil into the kale.
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Add radishes, cabbage and bell pepper to kale.
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Mix together then thoroughly mix in the pesto vinaigrette.
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*Top with toasted pepitas or almonds right before eating or they will become soft.
Health benefits:
Kale is low in calories, high in fiber and it is a loaded with antioxidants which helps detox the liver. It is also an anti-inflammatory with omega-3 fatty acids, which is helpful for arthritis, joint pain and asthma. Kale has more Iron than beef and more calcium than milk which helps prevents osteoporosis, joint flexibility and helps maintain normal bone health. It is great for cardiovascular support that helps in lowering cholesterol. It is really high in vitamin A, C, and super high in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K (anyone taking anticoagulants should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K that may interfere with the drugs.) More on kale
Radishes help eliminate excess mucus in the body and are great for respiratory disorders, bronchitis and asthma. They are cleansing for the digestive system helping to break down and eliminate stagnant food and toxins that have built up over time as well as eliminate cancer-causing free radicals in the body. They are very high in vitamin C, which improves your immune system. They have a low glycemic index and helps to regulate the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, which is great for diabetics. Radishes water content keep your body and skin keep hydrated and with their high fiber content they increase regular bowel movements, relieve bloating and help indigestion. They are a powerful detoxifier of the liver and stomach. They are also great for reducing blood pressure with the high potassium content.
