Kale, Cabbage and Ramen Salad

By adventurefamily5

This salad is similar to Oriental Chicken Salad, but is vegetarian and a little lighter on the oil. Kale is a miracle food that keeps us healthy in my home. And if kids will eat Oriental Chicken Salad, you can just add a touch of kale and take it slow until they get used to it.

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 2 packages seasoning mix from Ramen noodles
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/3 c vinegar (I use Bragg's apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salad:
• 1 small handful kale (see directions)
• 1 small bag cole slaw mix or half a head of cabbage of choice
• 2 package Ramen noodles
• 1/4 c toasted almonds or cashews
• 1 small can mandarin oranges, not drained

Details

Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 20mins

Preparation

Step 1

If you've never worked with Kale before, here's how to prepare it: first, cut down the length of the stem on either side to remove the stem. Roughly slice the wedges of kale and wash them. If you are using a bag of chopped kale, you may have to pick through it and cut off the stems before washing. They are tough to chew and not very tasty. Next, put the kale in a bowl and massage it, grabbing it and squeezing and rubbing it. You will see the kale go from dull to bright green and smell a grassy smell. This makes the kale more digestible. Some people will steam the kale for about 5 minutes rather than massage it, which is an option if you have arthritis. Set aside.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Crush the Ramen noodles and add to dressing. Add in chopped cabbage and kale. Fold salad, wetting all ingredients and mixing thoroughly. Salad will appear a bit dry.

Add mandarin oranges and nuts to salad. If I don't feel like toasting almonds or cashews, I throw in some from a can of nuts to taste. It adds healthy oils and protein to make the meal last. Fold salad gently to mix but not destroy oranges.

Chill for a couple of hours to overnight. Enjoy! Salad is also great in a pita pocket or on top of a bed of lettuce.