About the Recipe
I first tasted this salad at Shabbat dinner at my cousin’s house. They’re vegetarians, and since I don’t eat dairy or gluten, it was one of those evenings when my choices were limited. This salad wasn’t simply the only dish I could eat—it was the best dish on the table! After my cousin shared the recipe, I loved it so much that I made it every week for the next three weeks.
Ingredients
1/3 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari soy sauce (I like tamari better)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup flax seed or extra virgin olive oil ( I use olive oil)
1/2 medium- sized red onion sliced thinly (Cone #4)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (you can cheat and get these already roasted, unsalted)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds (I didn’t have sesame seeds the other day, so just used more pumpkin seeds)
1 lb. fresh kale (or about 2 big bunches)
1/2 cup sunflower sprouts
1 avocado, cut into cubes (optional but recommended)
1 cup thinly sliced shiitake or button mushrooms (optional – I typically don’t add these)
Preparation
Combine the Bragg or soy sauce and lemon juice in a medium sized salad bowl. Slice the onion into thin half-moons and marinate in the dressing as you prepare the rest of the salad.
Toast the seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until seeds are just golden and fragrant. When they start popping and jumping take them off the heat.
Toast each seed type separately as their size requires varying roasting times. Cool to room temperature.
De-stem the kale. Stack the kale leaves and slice or tear into 1/4 inch ribbons. The success of this recipe lies in cutting the kale into small ribbons and in completely massaging the kale with the dressing.
Cut the avocado in half an remove the pit. Slice the avocado vertically and horizontally making little squares. Scoop them out of the skin with a spoon and add them to the salad.
Toss the seeds, sprouts, and kale together in the marinated onions and as much dressing as necessary to lightly but completely dress the kale. Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands. Add the avocado and mushrooms if using and toss again with your hands.