Festive Kaleslaw Salad

By EdieK

Traditional coleslaw gets an extreme green makeover when superfood kale enters the picture! With cranberries, pumpkin seeds and a sweet, apple-cider vinaigrette, this colorful salad makes a unique and tasty addition to any holiday table.

Ingredients

• Apple-Cider Vinaigrette (Makes about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
• Salad
• 4 cups (well-packed) chopped kale (ribs removed)
• 2 cups finely sliced or grated red cabbage
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions (with white parts)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from janetandgreta.com

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside until ready to use.Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup dressing and massage kale for 5 minutes using your hands. Add all remaining salad ingredients and at least 6 tbsp dressing (or more, if desired). Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.


Makes about 8 cups saladPer cup: 229 calories, 12.9 g total fat (2.2 g saturated fat), 6 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 3.8 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 153 mg sodium


Nutrition Nugget

Let’s hear it for kale, the incredible edible that many health experts are calling “The New Beef!” Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef and more calcium per gram than whole milk. Holy cow! One cup of cooked kale also has two grams of protein, all the essential amino acids your body needs, plus 9 non-essential ones. Yeah, two grams of protein might seem paltry compared to a T-Bone, but kale’s protein is actually easier for your body to extract and use than the protein in meat. When it comes to plant protein, a little goes a long way! And as if that weren’t enough, kale contains more health-promoting omega-3 essential fats than omega-6 fats, almost unheard of in nature. Too much omega-6 fat promotes inflammation and disease in the body. And finally, a cup of cooked kale gives you 10 times your daily requirement for vitamin K, making it a bonafide bone-builder. Plenty of reasons to go krazy for kale!