Kale Massage 101

I feel like a new person since I started eating vegetables again. My favorite side dish to most any meal these days? A simple kale salad made with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. I was mentioning this revelation to a few of my friends over the weekend, and not one of them had ever massaged their kale before.

You guys: Massaged kale is sexy kale.

// Why massage kale?

• It makes the tough leaves easier to digest.
• It gives the kale a more pleasing texture for salads.
• It still retains all its nutrients in raw form versus steaming, etc.
• It tastes more delicious this way (in my opinion).
• It can be prepped ahead and stay good for up to a week.

// How to massage kale:

1. Wash your hands and rinse kale -- shake to dry well. Pick through the bunch and remove any large stems before proceeding. This is my personal choice, but I hate kale stems!
2. Place kale on a large plate. Then, depending on how much kale you use, you’ll want to add olive oil. For a couple handfuls, I do 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Then massage for a few minutes. I don’t count, but I’d say 2-3 -- until kale leaves brighten a feel slightly wilted. There’s no specific method, but you’ll want to squeeze and work leaves almost like when you knead bread. Tear larger pieces apart, but if you use pre-chopped, this won’t be an issue.

That’s all!

Simple.

Satisfying.

Sexy.

From there, I add my “dressing" -- usually just a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar -- and toss. Throw in chopped veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, cheeses, dried fruit, hard boiled eggs, or whatever else you like on your salads . . . and enjoy! Come to think of it, I’d love to try this mix with my Miso + Peanut dressing.

Do you massage your kale?

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