Kale Beet Apple Salad with Ginger Dressing

Oh and one more…this salad had so much color and just screamed to be photographed and I kept snapping because I felt the photos weren’t doing it justice.

While at the store they were putting out fresh beets. I love beets and often buy a variety of colors mostly for salads, snacks, and smoothies. I couldn’t help myself seeing all the pretty colors, oh those bright pink/ red chioggia striped beets get me every time, so I picked up a couple of each. I could see one of my favorite salads just brimming with bright colors! I like a mixture of beets with carrots, apples, dried cranberries, raisins, a number of seeds, oranges, so many choices not to mention different greens. I tend to mix it up depending on what I have on hand and my mood. One basic that is always good is a Kale, Beet, Apple Salad with Ginger Dressing! Add to it seeds and or other dried fruit and I could eat the same salad for lunch and dinner for a couple of days and not get bored.

I like to use a variety of beets for added color. If using traditional red beets they will bleed the most and you will want to add the beets just before serving. If you want to make smaller portions or make ahead I will pre make the dressing, chop up the kale (or you can buy already chopped kale) and keep that in a glass bowl or bag, and julienne all the beets and keep those in separate containers for each color. When I want to make the salad I just add desired amount of kale to a bowl add dressing and top with beets, cut the apple and add at the time so it doesn’t brown, and add additional toppings.

Kale Beet Apple Salad with Ginger Dressing

Makes 4 meal size servings, 8-12 side dish servings

12 ounces kale, chopped

4-5 c julienned raw beets, you can use one color or multiple (used red beets, golden beets, and red chioggia/ striped beets)

2-3 apples, peeled and julienned or diced (used Fuji apples)

1/2-3/4 c pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, or other seeds of choice, optional

Ginger Dressing

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

2 TBSP raw agave

juice of 1 lemon, about 1 1/2- 2 TBSP

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Wash kale and place in a colander to drain. Prepare dressing by whisking ingredients together or blending all dressing ingredients in a Vitamix, or blender, until well combine. Place kale in a large bowl and with clean hands message the dressing into the kale. Plate kale and top with beets, apples, and sprinkle with optional seeds. You can mix it all together but if using traditional red beets place on a paper towel to soak up some of the color so they don’t bleed to much onto the apples and other beets if using, if you want the salad to be pretty. Enjoy!