This Kale Fennel Salad is full of flavor and crunch! The vibrancy of the Lemon Basil Pesto Vinaigrette makes this a delightfully addicting salad. It’s perfect as an entree or served alongside an entree.
Today is all about Christmas cookies, which I have pushed off to the bitter end. Robby and I are going to L.A. tomorrow for our friends annual Christmas party. I know I won’t be eating the best in the next few days,
so I thought I’d make this salad to balance it out. The best part about kale is that the leaves are thicker than regular lettuce, therefore, it can stand a heavier dressing and
it is even great the next day. I will often make this salad the night before a party and toss it with the dressing the day of the party.
This salad is great with a Verdejo, White Rioja, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.
Kale Fennel Salad with Lemon Basil Pesto Vinaigrette Recipe:
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 Cups Lemon Basil Leaves
- 1/4 Cup Pecorino Ramano – finely shredded
- 1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Juice – fresh squeezed
- 1/4 Cup Raw Walnuts
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoon Champagne Vinegar
- 1 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt - or to taste
Salad
- 1 Head Lacinato Kale - thinly sliced about 7 cups
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Fennel Bulb - core removed - cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cup Purple Cabbage - minced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil - roughly chopped
- 1/4 Cup Pecorino Romano optional
Instructions
Vinaigrette
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Add all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until pureed. Set aside
Salad
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Wash the kale and tear off the main rib by holding the end of the stem and sliding off the leaves, wash, dry, then chop into thin strips.
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In a large bowl, add the kale along with the olive oil and massage the oil into the kale.
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Add everything to the kale and mix together. You can mix in the dressing or serve it on the side.
Health benefits:
Kale is low in calories, high in fiber and it is a loaded with antioxidants which help 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 of the high level of vitamin K that may interfere with the drugs.) More on kale
Fennel has a very good source of fiber that helps limit cholesterol build-up and helps to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in the blood. The fiber also helps remove carcinogens from the colon and it can eliminate constipation. It contains the phytonutrient anethole, the main part of its volatile oil that has been shown to reduce inflammation and also helping to prevent the occurrence of cancer. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, which is helpful for eye inflammation, and reduces premature aging and macular degeneration. There are high levels of potassium in the fennel bulbs and seeds and can help increase brain function and cognitive abilities. It also increases the reach of oxygen to the brain. The fronds above the fennel bulbs contain important vitamins, like pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin.
Basil has anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The herb contains exceptionally high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin A and is rich in zeaxanthin an anti-oxidant that helps protect age-related macular disease. Basil has a good amount of Iron and also helps to detoxify the liver. It contains phytochemicals that may lower cortisol, a hormone secreted when you’re stressed that causes weight gain, so add some fresh basil to your water or tea.
