



Believe it or not, I love raw kale. It is complex, savory, and stands up well to a hardcore salad dressing. It took me a long time to get used to the taste of raw kale, but luckily there are a couple restaurants here in Austin that have amazing raw kale salads.

The trick to raw kale is that you have to make it wilt a little bit. Something about massaging it with salad dressing really tames the taste and texture.

Why should you even bother with a raw kale salad? Well, besides it being tasty, it's one of the healthiest things you can eat. Kale is very dense in nutrients and thought to protect you from cancer and heart disease.

Kale Caesar Salad

One small bunch kale (about six inch long pieces)

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon spicy mustard

one clove garlic

pinch salt

Slice the kale into small ribbons and set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.

Mix the kale and dressing together in a large bowl.Take a few minutes to massage the dressing into the kale.

Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Variations: Add any of your favorite vegetables to this salad, or top with whole grain croutons.