Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Almond Vinaigrette

By Kay MacInnis

Here comes another lecture, but bear with me. I promise it’s good for you.

Let’s review some of the key characteristics of healthy eating patterns. It is sometimes difficult to navigate what is healthy and sound nutrition advice. Here are some of the things we know we should include in our diet:

• A variety of vegetables from all the groups – dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy.
• Fruit, especially whole fruits.
• Grains, when at least half are whole grains.
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese and/or fortified soy beverages.
• A variety of proteins, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), nuts, seeds, and soy products.
• Oils – mostly monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil.

As you can see, there are a lot of choices to make. These are the guidelines that are evidence-based. Look for options to include on a daily basis and before you know it, you will be following a healthy eating pattern.

This recipe is a good example:

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps. olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsps. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsps. Honey
• Juice and zest of half a lemon
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 bunch kale, very thinly sliced
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

Preparation:

• Heat 2 tbsps. olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
• Add shallots, and sauté for at least 1-2 minutes.
• Add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add cranberries, red wine vinegar, honey and lemon juice; stir until combined.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• In large bowl, toss the kale with olive oil and an extra pinch of salt. Be sure to massage the kale until tender.*
• Add in the cranberry/shallot mixture, almonds, and toss to cover.

* Why massage the kale? To tenderize it. Normally kale is tough. Massaging helps it to wilt, which increases tenderness. It also helps you digest it better!

Yields: 4-6 servings, depending on the serving size

Nutrition information: 211 Calories, 10.7 grams fat, 4.82 grams protein, 26.9 grams carbohydrate, 118 mg. sodium, 4.6 mg. cholesterol

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Hospitals in Columbia.

Kay works in Health and Wellness at Providence, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the actual chefs at Providence, she’s learned a lot over the years as she has worked to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital.

She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes. Our next class is Tuesday, Feb. 2.

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