Kale and cucumber salad with avocado dressing

At Parker’s Organic Juices we love Kale and Cucumbers. Fresh extracts from cucumbers have recently been show to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Kale is featured in our new Cold Pressed Organic Vegetable juices and is being called “the new beef”, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.”..filled with fibre and sulphur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Organic smooth Kale leaves
• Extra-virgin Organic Olive Oil
• 1 Organic fennel bulb, leafy greens reserved
• 1 Organic seedless cucumber

Dressing

• 1 large organic avocado
• 2 cloves Organic garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup Organic coconut or olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon Organic lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons Organic Tamari soy sauce
• freshly cracked Organic black pepper
• 1/2 cup Organic toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup Organic feta

Method

1. Choose smooth kale. Curly kale is fibrous so it’s not the best for salads.
2. Wash and dry the kale. Cut the ribs and stalks out from the leaves and slice it into small pieces.
3. Mix it with a little oil and salt and set aside for about half an hour before mixing with the other ingredients and dressing. This removes the waxy coating so that the leaves better absorb the dressing.
4. OR- Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees and cook for 4-6 minutes or until leaves become crispy on the edges. Then remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Slice white part of fennel bulb into very thin layers and remove some of the leafy sprigs for garnish. Thinly slice the cucumber.
6. Layer the kale leaves on a plate for serving and layer the fennel and cucumber on top. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and feta.
7. Blend all the dressing ingredients until creamy.. Instead of just tossing the kale leaves in dressing with salad tongs, use your hands to really mix everything together and make sure you’ve coated every leaf.
8. Garnish with lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper and salt just before serving.

Can't get enough Kale? Check out these top 10 benefits of eating Kale from MBG Food.