Cherry season is a special time of year and we are blessed with an abundance of this delightful stone fruit here in the Pacific Northwest. I knew something had to be done to commemorate, so I whipped up this kale salad with herbs, cherries and cauliflower rice.
This beautiful salad is a summer bounty. It’s full of fresh mint, parsley, kale, green onions, cauliflower rice and of course, cherries. A simple lemon ginger vinaigrette coats the salad and toasted almonds add a dash of crunch. It is true perfection.
I made two batches of this kale salad last week and enjoyed all of it, down to the last bite. It is so delicious with baked halibut (another mild fish would be good too) and grilled chicken. I think I could eat it all summer long and plan to enjoy it while I can because cherry season is so short-lived.
Meanwhile, I hope you love this kale salad. It is super fresh, herbaceous, fruity, nutty and all around amazing. Eat it as a side dish or as an entree-size salad with your favorite protein.
Looking for other summer salad recipes? Check out my summer “grain” salad with lemon tahini dressing and cucumber snap pea salad with dates and walnuts.
Cheers and enjoy!
Kale Salad with Herbs, Cherries and Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 10 oz bags frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 bunch curly green kale, removed from stems and roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste for cauliflower rice
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup fresh cherries, sliced in half and pitted
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 3-4 Tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, dry toasted (see instructions)
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
For the dressing:
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tsp raw honey
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the salad:
- Warm avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the frozen cauliflower rice and stir. Then, reduce heat to medium, cover and let cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 7 minutes, remove the lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
- Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the slivered almonds and stir frequently for 4-5 mintues or until toasted. Set aside to cool.
- Add chopped kale to a large bowl. Sprinkle on the 1/2 tsp sea salt and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Then, massage with hands for 2-3 minutes to soften and flavor the kale.
- Next, add the parsley, mint, green onions, cherries, cooked cauliflower rice and toasted almonds. Pour in the dressing (instructions below) and toss to coat. Taste and adjust flavor, as desired
For the dressing:
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust flavor, as desired.
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