I’m going to start off by making a bold claim: I will never say the words “I don’t eat carbs.” I need to point this out, because certain things of late have been happening around me. First, everyone has taken up running. Second, everyone stopped eating carbs.
This hit particularly close to home when my resident eater read the 4-Hour Body, and suddenly, I’d be stuck eating twice as much bread at dinner. Not only that, but this blasted diet turned everything into a carb (fruit? Now a carb. Beans? “Slow carbs,” but still, carbs. Yogurt? Even yogurt! Derr!). And this is happening to truly, the most unlikely of people around me. One day they only eat pizza, next thing I know they cut out carbs and drop 13 pounds in a month. It’s upsetting and annoyingly convincing.
So despite my bold claim, I have to say that I have come around ever so slightly to reducing the amount of white flour I eat. By that I mean that once in a while I can dig a meal that’s only protein and vegetables, and I feel full and satisfied by it (and vaguely righteous about it afterwards). And since spring has sprung and we’re all feeling more inclined to dig into some lighter fare, I figure it’s time to share a good salad recipe. Carb-hater and Carb-lover approved.
Kale is one of my favourite vegetables to saute with bacon. But do you know how great it can be in a salad? You can leave it raw, or for a slightly more tender leaf, blanch it for a minute, and toss it in a salad warm or cool. This recipe combines quick-blanched kale with pickled red onions and avocados, and can serve as a hearty side dish or, better yet, as a great base to top with grilled chicken or poached salmon, making it a quick and healthy option for lunch or dinner.
Any kale works for this — purple kale would be lovely, but any type will do (if you can find Lacinato, or black kale, even better). Be sure to trim the kale, cutting out the thick stem along the middle that can be a little tough and chewy (I find that folding the leaf lengthwise along the stem in half, then ripping both sides off along the stem, is the fastest way).
Use avocados that are ripe and slightly firm, as they hold up better in salads. Finally, be creative with accompaniments — some sharp, salty feta would be delicious crumbled over top, or chopped toasted almonds would add some additional crunch and protein.
Kale and avocado salad with pickled onions
1 bunch kale, trimmed, rinsed and chopped
1 large avocado, cubed
2-3 tbsp pickled red onions plus 1 tsp or so of the juice
Squeeze of lemon juice
Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
1. In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add kale and blanch for about 2 minutes, then drain kale and rinse under cold water, then drain well (or to retain an even brighter green colour, drain and plunge into an ice bath, then drain again).
2. Toss together the drained kale, pickled onions and juice, avocado. Squeeze over some lemon juice, then drizzle with olive oil. Toss with salt and pepper, adjusting seasonings to taste. Top with whatever you like (grilled or poached sliced chicken or fish, feta, chopped almonds, roasted sweet potatoes, etc.).
Note: Salad keeps well in the fridge overnight. It’s also good warm – you can skip the step of rinsing under cold water or the ice bath, and simply drain and toss with the other ingredients while still warm.
Sara Chan is a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer, food enthusiast, unprofessional home chef and even less professional food photographer. Her favourite food group is pork.