Kale Salad with Blue Cheese

Like so much of my cooking, this salad's roots are inspiration and necessity. The inspiration came at my local fruit and veg shop, which had beautiful big bunches of kale on display that screamed to be bought. I've tried kale chips and made a few kale salads, but I wanted to try something new. The necessity element in this recipe is the blue cheese; I had some leftover in my fridge that needed to be eaten. As we were having steak that night, I added the bacon for flavour, the pecans for crunch and the pomegranate arils for colour. Happy days! This salad is DELICIOUS and will undoubtedly be on high rotation over the summer BBQ season.

So, what is Kale?

Kale is a leafy green vegetable from the Brassica family, which also includes cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like calcium, potassium, and iron, and contains antioxidants and phytonutrients. With all these nutrients, it is easy to see why it is considered a nutrient powerhouse, supporting heart health, aiding digestion and boosting the immune system.

Real Food

Why use maple syrup in a low-carb salad? In essence, I believe in real food and avoid highly processed food, which includes some of the faux foods like 'sugar-free maple syrup'. My philosophy is low carb, not keto, so I am comfortable adding some ingredients, such as maple syrup, to salad dressings.

Low Carb vs. Keto?

In essence, a keto diet is a low-carb diet, the difference is that in a keto diet, the body burns fat rather than glucose (derived from carbohydrates) for energy and produces ketones with the fat that is burnt.

Typically, a low-carb diet focuses on consuming protein and non-starchy vegetables and limiting grains, fruits, bread, sweets, and starchy veggies like legumes, potatoes and peas. The keto diet follows this food intake but in a far stricter way, with the emphasis on eating more fat, a moderate intake of protein and low in carbohydrates. The standard keto diet consists of 70% to 80% fats, 10% to 20% proteins and 5% to 10% carbohydrates.

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Kale Salad with Blue Cheese

Yield: 4

Author: Lee Newcombe

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A delicious salad perfect for your next BBQ! The base is kale, with bacon for flavour, pecans for crunch and the pomegranate arils for colour.

Ingredients

Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• pinch of salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped

Salad

• 1/2 large bunch of kale leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 rashers bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

Instructions

Dressing

1. Make the dressing by adding ingredients in a jar and shaking to combine (or whisk in a small bowl).

1. Trim kale, then slice it up (1cm thick works well). Cook bacon till crisp and set aside. Roast pecans in a moderate oven for 5-10 minutes till browned. Add all ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine (keep a few nuts, some cheese and pomegranate arils to dress at the end).
2. Gently toss the dressing through the salad and dress with the nuts, cheese and pomegranate arils set aside.
3. Serve and enjoy.