If you’re new to kale, or thinking about trying it, or trying to introduce it to your kids, here’s a super yummy yet easy cranberry kale salad you can make to introduce it gently. Just use the proportions given and make as large or as small a salad as you wish:
Cranberry Kale Salad
- Half kale (stems and any large ribs/threads removed)
- Half romaine lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chopped cucumber
- Chopped avocado
- Raisins or cranberries
- Crumbled goat cheese or grated raw cheddar
- Optional Protein Boost: add flaked salmon, or chopped egg, or diced chicken
– Toss with desired amount of Balsamic Udo’s Salad dressing
Balsamic Udo’s Salad Dressing Recipe
- 1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup Udo’s oil (or cold-pressed flax oil)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (or use Apple Cider Vingegar if you really like a pungent vinegar taste)
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp. onion powder
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup (or pinch of stevia) – kids like it sweeter
- Black pepper to taste
*Note: This dressing keeps well in the fridge for a long time (vinegar is a preservative) – store in a glass jam jar with an airtight lid.
Original post October 2014. Most recently updated August 2020.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert on natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s Disease and has remained drug and surgery-free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcast, TV, and radio shows throughout the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, giving people hope and vision for how they can heal their Colitis, Crohn’s, Diverticulitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), using entirely natural methods. Her books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold worldwide in over 80 countries. Jini is married with 3 children, 9 sheep, 11 horses, 1 cat, and 3 dogs.
The best way to make raw kale palatable, massage it with oil (breaks down cell walls). So maybe do that 1st with some of the dressing olive oil (1 tbsp)
Awesome tip Kate! Do you need to massage the leaves (before cutting/tearing) with your fingers? Or is it okay to just stir well with a spoon and kind of mash them a bit with oil?
I find it best to massage the kale after you’ve removed the stems/large veins and have torn it into bite size pieces and placed it into a bowl. It’s much easier to tear without the oil. No need to massage the romaine.
You’ll want to use your hands to massage the oil into/onto the kale. Using your hands when making/creating food provides a direct connection between you and your kale/food transferring your love and energy into the food. Seems to taste better that way.
I had kale salad from a restaurant and it was chopped into extra small pieces and mixed with oils and spice. I don’t know what all, but it was really good!