Kale and Avocado Salad with Almonds, Apples and Nori

I do want to share a few recipes I’ve already tried as a sort of “preview” before giving you the whole shebang, so I’m here with two super-healthy, super-easy, kale-centric recipes. Both of these recipes are really good, with limited fat, salt, carbs, and lots and lots of leafy greens. Kale is easily my favorite green, and one of the only ones that I actually enjoy the flavor of, so I was particularly stoked to find such a promising recipe for a raw kale salad in Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious LifeCleanse Preview: Kale Lovin'. The kale gets “massaged” by hand with avocado, olive oil, and salt, tenderizing and shrinking as you go. It then gets topped with apples, toasted almonds, and toasted nori – and boy is it good! The flavors and textures of this salad are spot on, and I found myself picking at the kale-and-avocado mixture (so creamy and filling and addictive) even as I took these photos. The baked eggs recipe is more basic, but it doesn’t have any cheese or cream – all of it’s flavor comes from sun-dried tomatoes, kale, and spices. If you’re looking for a few good healthy recipes, definitely try these!

Kale and Avocado Salad with Almonds, Apples and Nori

Serves 2.

• 1/2 bunch of kale
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 c. almonds, toasted till golden brown
• 1 apple, diced
• 1 sheet of nori

1. Wash the kale leaves and shake them dry.  Remove the leaves from the thick stalks and tear leaves into bite sized pieces.  Place the kale, avocado, minced garlic, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl, and massage together with your hands for three minutes.  The kale should shrink and become tender.  Plate the kale mixture and top with 1/2 of the diced apple and half of the toasted almonds.  Use tongs to pick up the nori and pass it over an open burner on medium-low, 3-4 times for about 2 seconds each time.  Try not to let it catch fire!  As it passes over the open flame, the nori should turn bright green and get soft and pliable briefly.  Fold the nori in quarters, then use scissors to cut the quarters into long strips.  Sprinkle over salad.  Enjoy!

Baked Eggs with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlicky Kale

Serves 1.

• 2 medium eggs
• 1 large leaf kale
• 1 TBS + 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
• 5 dried sun-dried tomatoes
• leaves from 5 small sprigs fresh thyme
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Reconstitute the sun-dried tomatoes: place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small, heatproof bowl, and pour very hot or boiling water over them.  Stick in the microwave for 30 seconds, then let stand for 5 minutes.  Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from soaking liquid and chop finely.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease one creme-brulee sized ramekin with 1 tsp olive oil and set aside.  Heat remaining 1 TBS olive oil over medium-heat in a saucepan until shimmering, then add kale and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is brown and kale is beginning to become tender, about 5 minutes.  Add 1-3 TBS of water if the kale seems dry, and continue to cook until fully tender, about another 3 minutes.  Line prepared ramekins with kale, then carefully crack the eggs on top of the kale.  Sprinkle with the thyme leaves, black pepper, and minced sun-dried tomatoes, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until eggs are set.