Have you heard of people “massaging” the kale for their salads? We’re just using a spoon here—or tongs—but the idea is the same: Stir the raw leaves with lemon juice, oil, and salt to make them as tender as possible before adding the chickpeas. Kids Advisory Board member Tate Elliott added avocado to the salad and loved the way it broke down to make the dressing creamy.
kitchen gear
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Cutting board
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Sharp knife (adult needed)
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Salad spinner (or colander and clean dish towel)
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Measuring cups
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Measuring spoons
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Large bowl
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Large spoon or tongs
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Can opener
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Instructions
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Strip the kale leaves off the stems by holding the bottom of each stem and tearing the leaves upward. Throw away or compost the stems.
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Wash the kale and dry it well in the salad spinner, or shake the kale dry in the colander and then roll it in a clean dish towel to soak up the water.
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Tear or cut the kale leaves into bite-size pieces.
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Put the kale, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in the bowl and mix very well, turning the kale over and over with the spoon or tongs to soften it a little bit (it will get darker and shinier).
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Add the chickpeas and mix well. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
Notes
DID YOU KNOW?
There are lots of different kinds of kale. Dinosaur kale has dark, bumpy leaves; curly kale has brighter green, ruffly leaves; Russian kale has purplish stems. Any kind will work for this recipe.
GET CREATIVE
Try adding:
- 1 English cucumber (the long, thin kind wrapped in plastic), thinly sliced or diced
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced 1 tomato, cored and diced
- 1/4 cup toasted almonds, walnuts, or pistachios
- 1/4 cup raisins, currants, or dried apricots
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
