This Kale Vegetable Salad with Cucumber Parsley Pesto Vinaigrette is healthy yet doesn’t compromise on flavor. It is so refreshing, flavorful and full of crunchy yummy goodness!
This weekend Robby and I had the pleasure of having Sabastian stay with us. We always enjoy having her around. She is our friend’s daughter from when we were teenagers! When she was here we had a strange picnic on the beach consisting of black beans, pico de gallo, diced roasted poblano, cheese, lettuce and wine. I normally bring things like this kale salad, which I am going to today because my friends Beto, Jill, Paloma and Beto’s friend Matt and his family are coming for a beach day.
Enjoy this salad with a Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, White Rioja, Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.
Kale Vegetable Salad with Cucumber Parsley Pesto Vinaigrette Recipe:
Ingredients
- Cucumber Parsley Pesto - recipe below
- 1 Cup Toasted Almond or as many as you want
- 1 Head Kale I use lacinato
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Large Cucumber – peeled - quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 Large Carrot – thinly sliced
- 1 Small Red Bell Pepper - diced
- 1 Small Yellow Bell Pepper - diced
- 1/2 Cup Italian Parsley - torn or minced
Pesto Vinaigrette
- 1/4 Cucumber - peeled
- 1 Cup Italian Parsley Leaves
- 1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts
- 3/4 Cup Aged Asiago Cheese - finely grated
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1 Cloves Garlic
- 3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to Taste
- Dash Black Pepper
Instructions
Pesto Vinaigrette
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Add the garlic into a food processor or blender and blend until minced.
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Add all remaining ingredients and puree.
Almonds
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake for 18 - 20 minutes on the middle rack. My oven works at 18 minutes
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.
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Chop into thin strips and put into a large bowl with the olive oil.
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Massage the oil into the kale.
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Add the cucumber, carrot, bell pepper and red cabbage.
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Mix the dressing with all the veggies and kale.
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Top with almonds onto individual salads.
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
Italian Parsley has an excellent source of vitamins C and A. The Vitamin A in parsley supports the tissues that line your lungs andpromotes eye health. And the C protects your retinas from the sun that causes free-radical damage. It is rich in lutein, which is an antioxidant that protects against macular degeneration. It is a good source of folic acid that is great for cardiovascular health. It is one of the richest herb sources for vitamin K making parsley great for your bones. The iron in parsley helps get rid of carbon dioxide and brings oxygen to your tissues. It is an excellent blood purifier with its high chlorophyll content and a good remedy for lung infection or asthma. It is also rich in anti-oxidants and a good source of potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.
Cucumber are a good source of A and B vitamins that gives you energy and the skin benefits from the really high content of vitamin C which ironically is primarily in the skin of the cucumber. They help eliminate toxins and keep you hydrated with the water content, which is 95% and the dietary fiber aids the digestion and helps with heartburn. They are known to dissolve kidney stones by lowering uric acid levels. There is research in connection with reducing the risk of several cancers due to 3 lignin’s it contains. The juice is beneficial to diabetics due to a hormone it contains that help the cells of the pancreas produce insulin. Cucumbers help reduce cholesterol levels and regulating blood pressure so its great for both low blood pressure and high blood pressure. It is an excellent source of silica, magnesium, and potassium that help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues and is great for you skin, hair and nails.
