I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! This weekend the hubs and I were busy busy recipe testing and running errands! I’ve got a great week of recipes coming your way! First up is my Lemony Kale Orzo Salad. This is one of my favorite pasta salads ever!
I am always trying to get as much greens into my diet as possible and kale is a fantastic superfood that is very high in fiber, fully of nutrients including magnesium which is sometimes hard to get as a vegan.
It is important with this recipe to massage the dressing into the kale. This will break down the tough bitterness of the kale and leave you with a sweeter, softer kale salad than if you just through it in the bowl as is. It is also much easier to chew and digest this way. Get rubbing!
After the kale is all massaged, add in the rest of your ingredients to the bowl- the orzo, chopped onion, tomatoes and walnuts. Toss together. I start by only adding in half the dressing because I don’t like my salads to be over dressed. Give it a taste and if you feel it needs more- add some more. If not, the dressing stores great in the fridge for a week.
Serve in a large bowl to friends and family! This is a great salad to bring to a picnic, potluck or it is just perfect to have in the fridge and munch over a few days.
Lemony Kale Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Kale Salad
- 2 bunches kale de-stemmed and chopped
- 1/3 box orzo cooked and cooled
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
Instructions
Lemony Garlic Salad Dressing
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Add all ingredients into a small mason jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Store in fridge until ready to use.
Kale Salad
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De-Stem and chop the kale and add to a large bowl.
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Toss half the dressing over the kale and and massage for 2-3 minutes until the kale is wilted, soft and tender.
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Add the rest of the chopping ingredients and cooled orzo in the bowl and toss.
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Taste the salad, if you want more dressing, add some more on if not, store it in the fridge for up to a week!
Enjoy!
Xo, Melissa