Recipe: Summer Detox Salad

On a humid summer night, I love to whip up a refreshing salad. Your traditional salad recipe could get boring night after night, and I think salads get a bad rep because of this. Not anymore!

In this recipe we'll combine the flavors of the summer farmers markets, with the uplifting zest of lemon and savory sweet cherries. This salad screams SUMMER and is detoxifying, satisfying and insanely flavorful.

Trade in your boring salad recipe for this one and you will not be disappointed. Plus, its easy and fun to make. You can get kids involved in 'massaging the kale' and watch it go from full green to vibrant green right before your eyes. Yet another reason I ♥  this power green that's packed with vitamin A – good for vision and skin, vitamin C – helpful for your immune system, metabolism, and for hydration, and vitamin K – for protection against various cancers.

You will need:

  • 1 bunch of organic kale (your choice - I used Curly Kale)

  • 1 organic lemon, zest+ juice

  • 2 - 4 tbsp olive oil (you be the judge, drizzle 1 tbsp at a time)

  • 1/4 cup raw almonds

  • 1/4 dried unsweetened cherries

  • 1/4 red bell pepper, diced

  • 1 small shallot or spring onion, minced

  • pinch of sea salt

  • cracked pepper to taste

To make:

Rinse kale, pat dry and then chop and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the juice and zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Massage the kale (with your hands) for 1 - 2 minutes. 

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You will notice the bright green color of the kale start to shine.

Chop your dried cherries and set aside in a bowl.

Give your almonds a loose chop as well, and then toast over medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes in a dry saute pan. Until the almond oil starts to come out and you smell that nice almond fragrance. Set aside and let cool.

Mince your shallots or spring onions. If you have scallions, you can chop the tops and add those in too!

Dice bell pepper (sorry I forgot the pic of this one!). Then combine kale mixture with dried cherries, toasted almonds, minced onions and bell pepper and mix well. Season with salt + pepper to taste. Enjoy!

*Vegan     *Gluten-Free     *Mostly-organic

What is your favorite throw-together summer salad? Leave in the comments below! 

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Clean Eating, Health, RecipeDeAnna Englezos