Kale, Cherry & Avocado Salad with Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

Kale, Cherry & Avocado Salad with Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

Nothing hits the spot on a 95 degree day quite like this simple and refreshing kale salad. Honestly, I've been too hot, sweaty and cranky to turn on my oven and this salad is just what the doctor ordered. We've been putting in extremely long days at the farm and literally every single bone in our bodies aches. I joke that we are too young to feel so damn old, but it's the truth. Most days I could use the assistance of a walker to get around. We aren't looking good I tell ya! We may feel physically broken but at least we eat well. With the abundance of kale growing in the fields I think "quickie" kale salads are going to be an ongoing trend for weeknight dinners when turning the oven on isn't an option. We harvest hundreds of bunches of kale each week to supply our CSA members, farmers markets and restaurant accounts. To be honest, I'm so tired of looking at this leafy green that I didn't think I would crave it for the rest of the summer. As it turns out, I was wrong! This salad has everything going for it. It's light, refreshing, sweet and tangy.  I can't get enough of the "pop" from the poppy seeds either! The fresh and local cherries were a huge hit too. One of our lovely CSA members gifted us with a few pounds of fresh cherries from her farm and we've been gobbling them up all week.  Have I mentioned before how grateful we are for our CSA members? They are the best! If it happens to be hot and miserable where you live too I think this salad will be your savior. The lemon-poppy seed dressing is so stinking good you could drink it with a straw. However, instead of doing that I would recommend pouring yourself a glass of crisp white wine, grabbing a fork and digging into this refreshing meal. Cheers!

Kale, Cherry & Avocado Salad With Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Salad:
  • 6 cups kale, tough stems removed and chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1/2 of a small red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • Pinch of fine sea salt and pepper
For the Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 large lemons
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dijon style mustard
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Prepare the dressing by combing all the ingredients and placing in a mason jar secured with a lid and shaking until smooth. You can also use and immersion blender. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.
  2. Place the chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with half the dressing. Massage the dressing into the kale leaves until they become slightly tender. This should only take a minute.
  3. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and if needed, add more dressing a little at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

* Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *The dressing will last in the fridge for up to a week

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