"What the kale are you doing?" is what my friend and colleague Christy Wilson, RDN from Tucson would ask me. Normally, we would make fun of the obsession of kale, but then I became infected with the obsession. I was lying in bed, 15 minutes before my full-time job, when this recipe was developing in my mind. It must have been the summer mood, kale...peaches...but I wanted to add a little kick. From there I experimented with the anticipation in taste from the collection of sweetness, refreshing cold, and crunchy spice. Then voilà! The kale, peach, and walnut salad with spicy vinaigrette was born.
But why kale? And does it have any benefits? In 1 cup, you will meet 138% of your daily value needs for Vitamin K based on a 2,000 calorie-diet. Kale is essential for blood clotting during injuries and transporting calcium, needed for bone health. If you're taking Warfarin (Coumadin), do not eliminate Vitamin K from foods in the diet, keep it consistent. The olive oil from the dressing will increase the absorption of this fat-soluble.
Also in one cup, you will consume 134% of your daily value needs for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is vital for wound healing and for your immune system. Because of the acidic nature of Vitamin C, along with the balsamic vinaigrette, it will increase the absorption of non-heme iron or plant iron. Other delicious benefits of this recipe include an excellent source of copper and a good source of phosphorous, riboflavin, and calcium.
Dive in and impress your palate with this unique dish!
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 9
Ingredients
Dressing
1 dehyrdrated red pepper, deseeded (<1 gram)
3 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette (35 grams or milliliters)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (1 gram)
1/2 or 3 tablespoons shallot, minced (40 grams)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 gram)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (33 grams)
Salad
1 bunch or 9 cups of kale, destemmed (161 grams)
1 peach, pitted and chopped (340 grams)
3/4 cup walnut halves (90 grams)
1 cup of feta cheese, crumbled (134 grams)
Instructions
1) In a small bowl put all ingredients for dressing and mix, vigorously, until it appears the oil and balsamic isn't separated.
2) Rinse kale, destem, and then put leaves in a big bowl then mix in with chopped peaches, walnut halves, and feta cheese
3) Place salad on plate and then sprinkle teaspoon amounts of dressing on the salad.
Nutrient Analysis
1 serving is about 1 cup
181 calories
141 calories from fat
16 grams of Total Fat (20% of daily value)
4 grams of Saturated Fat (18% of daily value)
0 grams of Trans Fat
14 milligrams of Cholesterol (5% of daily value)
160 milligrams of Sodium (7% of daily value)
7 grams of Total Carbohydrates (5% of daily value)
1 gram Dietary Fiber (6% of daily value)
4 grams of Total Sugars
0 grams of Added Sugars
5 grams of Protein
0 micrograms Vitamin D
120 milligrams of Calcium (12% of daily value)
1 milligram of Iron (1% of daily value)
200 milligrams of Potassium (4% of daily value)
The daily value above is based on a 2,000 calorie diet