Kale Salad With Pomegranate & Parmesan

I think many people would agree that the best recipes comprise of ingredients that vary in tastes and textures.

This what makes this kale salad so incredibly satisfying. The kale is hearty and crunchy, the parmesan is buttery and adds a salty component, the avocado is creamy and rich, the pine nuts are nutty, the pears and pomegranate are sweet and add a burst of juiciness as well.

It is all brought together with a lemony dressing which adds a little kick from Dijon mustard.

I am that person that loves cooking vegetables, yet I don’t eat them much. This is a great way to get your healthy greens in but excite your palate at the same time. The recipe inspiration comes from a friend, Melanie who is the owner of Rare Finds Travel. She has over 20 years experience planning customized itineraries.

In Melanie’s words “I love to make dreams come true. If you want to ride horseback in the surf or meet the captain of the local Muggle Quiddich team, I can plan that for you. If you would like for your aspiring teenage screenwriter to meet a Hollywood director, consider it done. If you’re dream of tracing your Irish roots, I know how to do that. If you’re a foodie and have always wondered what it would be like to go truffle hunting in the mountains of Umbria, Italy I know exactly who to introduce you to”

The passion for what she does is evident, so if you are considering a culinary destination or any type of destination, contact her at the link above – and tell her Sandy of The Kosher Tomato sent you!

Her original inspiration for this salad actually came from “Cookin’ Canuck”. I changed the type of kale ( I used lacinato, which is also known as Tuscan kale – which is said to be a bit sweeter and slightly more delicate than curly kale) I also added the toasted pine nuts, and ripe pears.

HOW TO: There are many types of methods to removing the seeds from a pomegranate, but I prefer to avoid rinsing or plunging it in water – I feel it loses some juices in the process. Therefore, I simply cut it in half perpendicular to the stem and use the back of my knife to tap the skin of the pomegranate into a bowl. As you can see from the photo below – I completely remove the seeds without using water. (I do use my hands to peel some seeds away from the flesh)

Check out my video on how to evenly brown the pine nuts here.