Massaged Kale Salad with Dried Cherries and Cashews

I guess I am on a roll with the recipes this week, but this one is so quick and easy, I just had to share it with you!

You will notice some star ingredients making a second appearance from last nights Avocado-Cucumber Soup with Shrimp recipe. I will be using Kale (the "queen of greens") again, as well as some more avocado. More avocado? I know, that sounds just awful, doesn't it? And, to go along with these two delights, I will be adding a few other ingredients that I adore almost just as much; dried cherries, and cashews. Did someone just say, "Yum!?"

After making this salad for the second time this week, I can assure you that this one is a keeper. And, to make things even better, this is another guilt-free dish you can enjoy that is packed with vitamins A, C, K, and E, along with omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, and so much more! So, if you want seconds, I say, "Go for it!"

This recipe can be used as a side dish to any dinner entree, or as a stand-alone salad for lunch. Try bringing it to your next gathering, and I'm guessing it will be a hit!

Massaged Kale Salad with Dried Cherries and Cashews
adapted from Perry's Plate

Salad Ingredients:
6 cups kale, stems removed, and leaves chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
1 handful raw cashews, coarsely chopped
1 handful dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1 whole Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 tablespoon sweetener (sugar, stevia, agave, etc.), optional

Directions:
Place prepared kale in a large mixing bowl. Pour lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the kale. With your hands, massage/rub the juice and olive oil into the kale for about 2-3 minutes. The greens will take on a darker color, and become more tender.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sweetener, and vinegar over the greens; toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, toss, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.
This recipe is gluten-free, and vegan.

Avocado-Cucumber Soup with Shrimp

For the second year in a row, I have joined a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. A CSA share program is a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Typically the CSA share consist of a box of vegetables, but in some cases some farms will also include fruit, farm-fresh eggs, and bread shares. This year, I took part in the vegetable, fruit, and egg share from Denison Farms. One of the reasons that I love being a part of a CSA, besides supporting my local farmers of course, is that I am forced to try new things, and experiment. And, it helps me to eat a little healthier too, which is right up my alley!

This week in my vegetable share we received lettuce, scallions, garlic scapes, sugar snap peas, and kale. So, tonight for dinner I decided to use a few of these vegetables, along with some other ingredients I already had in my fridge, to make the perfect summer soup. This soup ended up being more incredible than I ever imagined! 

The original recipe was created by Martha Stewart, but I made a few changes to it based on what I had in my kitchen, and it worked out perfectly! This soup is packed with flavor, and with all these vegetables, it has many health benefits.

Kale, also known as the "queen of greens" is rich in lutein, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, K, and more. The avocado, which is one of my favorites, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C & E, and protein. And, that's just two of the ingredients on the list! You certainly can feel good about what you are putting in your mouth with this recipe.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And, remember, if you don't have an ingredient on the list, make a substitution with something else similar that you like, or you think will work. In my case, I did just that, and it turned out to be a home run!

Avocado-Cucumber Soup with Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, skin on, chopped in 1/4" cubes (about 2 cups); reserve 1/2 cup

2 Avocados, pitted and peeled, chopped in 1/4" cubes; reserve 1/3 cup

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

1 minced small jalepeño (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired)

2 scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup chopped Kale, stems removed

2/3, 14 oz. can of chicken, or vegetable stock (use full 14 oz. can for thinner soup)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

12 medium shrimp (about 6 ounces), peeled and deveined

Cooking Spray

Directions:

In a blender, combine the cucumber and avocado (minus the reserved portions), lime juice, jalapeño, scallions, cilantro, and kale with the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Puree until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add reserved avocado and cucumber into soup. Thin with extra chicken stock, as desired. Season again with salt and pepper. Chill, about 1 hour.

In a large skillet, heat pan with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp, turning once, until pink and opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.

Ladle soup in bowls; garnish with shrimp.

Makes 2 hearty servings. This dish is gluten-free, nut-free, and can easily be made vegan by omitting the shrimp and using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.