Week of Love : Vegan Kale Salad

After breakfast, Big Blue Eyes put on her apron and stated, "We're going to do some cooking..."
"Right now?"

"Yep. Right now."
"What are we going to cook?"
"Let me see." And off she goes to find this cookbook we borrowed from the library.
She peruses it and lands on the broccoli salad. "This. We are going to make this."
"That looks good but we don't have any broccoli. Can we use kale?"
"Yyyeah," she answered. "Mom, why aren't you wearing your apron? You need to wear your apron."
I put on my apron and she continued with "Now I'm the master chef and you're the coworker."
"Alright. Do you want to wash the kale?"
She did wash, tore and massaged the dressing into kale and she also played with the carrots in the sink. Goodness, I have very interesting children.

 

 

 

I was surprised she wanted to make the salad. Surprised and pleased. She has disliked salad since around the time she turned three. I was hoping by making this salad together she might suddenly decide she likes salad. A parent can hope, right? She did eat it twice that day but since has turned it down. I will not be deterred!  To be frank, I don't remember liking salad as a youngster but I don't remember not liking it either.

 

So we created this recipe together (because I rarely follow recipes). And while we were making it, I wondered how I could incorporate it into this Week of Love blog-post-marathon. Kale is great for the heart but the recipe needed something extra and then I remembered seeing heart-shaped carrots on pinterest. I used these instructions to make them. They were fun and easy. My little master chef was quite tickled by them.

 

This is perfect for this week because kale has shown to help reverse cardiovascular disease and prevents plaque from adhering in your arteries. It has a good dose of potassium along with fiber, Vitamin C, and B6. Kale is just all-around healthy.

 

And carrot hearts are just cute.

 

 

Vegan Creamy Kale Salad with Heart Carrots

2 bunches Kale
3 fat carrots

 

Creamy Dressing

1 container extra firm tofu, preferably sprouted *for soy-free option, look at variations below
5-6 TB lemon juice
3 TB dijon mustard
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
4 TB concentrated 100% apple juice or 3 TB maple syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt

 

1. Wash kale and carrots.

2. Peel carrots. With paring knife, cut notch in carrot then shave other end to point.

3. Tear kale into small pieces.

4. Blend up dressing ingredients and pour over kale. Massage into the kale and then add carrots.

 

Serve and enjoy!

 

Variations:
1. Add toasted almonds.
2. Skip using a sweetener and add craisins to salad.
3. Soy- free option: instead of tofu,  use two avocados and either half or eliminate sweetener.