Kale and Avocado Detox Salad

In the summer I enjoy eating lighter meals that incorporate simple and fresh ingredients that are full of flavor and help cleanse my body.  Usually I tend to eat a lot of stir-fried veggies with brown rice or quinoa, bean salads, or leafy green salads this time of year.  I try to always make a homemade dressing for my salad (even if it is just olive oil and balsamic vinegar) because many of the bottled salad dressings are full of sugar, soy bean oil, and/or highly processed.  

One of my favorite ways to make salad dressing is by using avocado as the base.  I loove avocados and eat them almost everyday whether they are in my smoothies, salad, stir fry’s or in guacamole.  Many people tell me they avoid eating avocados because they think they are fattening but avocado is a healthy fat, which is essential for our bodies.   Also, the healthy fat helps us absorb the vitamins and minerals from our leafy greens and vegetables.  

For the leafy green in this salad I used kale.  Romaine or arugula would work great as well.  The best tip I have for making any kind of kale salad is to let the kale marinate in the dressing you use for at least an hour.  This way the kale fully absorbs the flavor of the dressing and will not taste bitter.

For this salad I topped it with grated carrots, roasted red peppers from the grill, and chickpeas.   Feel free to garnish it with any ingredient you’d prefer.  Here are some ideas:  Grape tomatoes, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, black beans, sprouts, broccoli, nutritional yeast, almonds, walnuts, cucumber, peppers, olives, red onion.  

Servings: 1-2

Ingredients:

1.5 – 2 cups of organic kale
1/2 avocado chopped
1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
cayenne pepper
sea salt
ground black pepper

Directions:

After you wash and dry the kale, tear it into bite size pieces and place into a large tupperware container with lid.  Add in the remaining ingredients.  Add cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.  I like to use a few dashes of cayenne because I like the extra kick!  Close the tupperware with the lid and shake until the dressing is completely incorporated.  
Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Enjoy!

xo,

Kim

Related posts:

1. Chickpea and Kale Salad
2. How To Make Kale Chips
3. Vegetarian Chili
4. Green Smoothie Detox
5. Guilt-Free Chocolate Brownies

Filed in: Recipes Tags: avocado • Detox • Gluten Free • healthy • homemade dressing • kale • Nut Free • Salad • simple • Soy Free • Vegan • vegetarian