Kale salad with strawberries and marinated feta

A burst of colour, flavour and nutrition!

My spring garden is bursting with kale and when I saw the first local strawberries of the season at the market the other day, I knew I wanted to combine the two into something delicious. I’m also currently infatuated with this marinated feta so decided to add it in as well; you can easily use crumbled feta if you prefer. You’ll note that the directions indicate you may not use all the dressing; that is simply because the size of a bunch of kale can vary greatly at different markets or shops. This salad is best enjoyed within 2 hours of preparation; to make ahead just prepare the individual components and refrigerate, then proceed with adding the dressing to the kale and garnishing the salad closer to serving time. Be sure to check the ‘salads’ section on this site for numerous other delectable kale recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh kale (approximately 1 lb / 454 g)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 mL) apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) each salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups (225 g) sliced strawberries
• 1 cup (245 g) marinated feta (or crumbled feta)
• 1/4 cup (28 g) roasted sunflower seeds

Method

• Wash and dry kale and strip the leaves off the coarsest parts of the stems. Coarsely chop into large bite-sized pieces and place in a serving bowl.
• In a jar with a tight lid, shake together the vinegar, salt and pepper, Dijon and maple syrup. Add olive oil and shake again. Pour about 3/4 of the dressing over the kale then massage the dressing into the kale with your very clean hands (this helps to tenderize the greens). Add a little bit more dressing as needed to evenly coat the kale leaves without making them soggy.
• Scatter the strawberries over the kale and toss lightly. Distribute the feta and sunflower seeds over top and serve.

Makes about 6 servings; recipe can easily be multiplied.