Let’s talk about kale.
Kale, the hipsterish cousin of cabbage, has a lot going for it. Its texture is great for salads raw or cooked, it is loaded in vitamin A and C, and its possible links to controlling blood glucose may lower risks of cancers, high blood pressure, and the development of asthma.
Let’s face it, kale is awesome.
I’m sure that I don’t need to tell you that, though. Kale is very popular currently and it is fairly unlikely that we will see that decline anytime soon.
Now, I am southern and I love coleslaw (surprise). When messing around with alternatives to green cabbage, I found that kale was my absolute favorite. The color, the texture, the more bold flavor. I was hooked.
When I was approached about catering barbecue (vegan, of course) for a wedding recently, I knew immediately that I wanted to make a kale slaw. I thought it best to provide traditional homestyle coleslaw as well, so my thought was to make the kale slaw a little healthier. Mayo and vinegar free.
The recipe below is what I came up with. It is great on its own as a salad or combined with savory foods. Take a toasted bun, kale slaw on bottom, put barbecue on top, and you’ll be amazed at how much the bright flavors of the kale add to everything.
This is what I use
1 head kale, stemmed and torn into small strips
2 carrots, grated
1 small red onion, thin sliced
How do you make kale slaw?
Place kale and carrots into a large bowl and toss with dressing. Make sure to rub dressing into kale with your fingers to start breaking it down. Let stand for about five minutes before adding onions. Refrigerate until served. Can be made up to eight hours beforehand.
*You can alternatively soak the kale in warm salt water for an hour prior to preparing to break it down a little. This works pretty well if you are going to partake of the slaw the same day. Just make sure to rinse and pat dry afterwards. I prefer to do mine a day ahead to let the dressing break down the kale.