Asparagus Kale Salad
This vibrant and refreshing Asparagus and Kale Salad is packed with crisp veggies! The salad combines blanched asparagus, healthy kale, crunchy cucumber, tart Granny Smith apple, and other nutritious ingredients. It's tossed in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing with fresh ginger, turmeric, and a blend of super seeds!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 289kcal
Equipment
- salad spinner optional to dry the kale, you can also use paper towels or a dry kitchen towel
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 bunch kale (about 6-8 cups chopped), stems removed, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 large cucumber (or two small ones), sliced
- 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 1 large Granny Smith apple cubed - or use a sweeter apple for more sweetness vs tanginess
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup slivered almonds you can also toast them - see notes below.
- 1 cup microgreens optional
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Greek Yogurt
- ½ lemon juice of
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric grated
- 1 teaspoon hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus ends (they break off easily with your hands) and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until bright green. Immediately drain the asparagus transfer it to ice water to stop cooking, then place on a clean towel to dry.1 bunch asparagus
- While the asparagus is cooking and cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Greek Yogurt, lemon juice from fresh lemon (reserve about 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice to be used later), salt, ground turmeric and ginger, and the super seeds.½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup Greek Yogurt, ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, 1 teaspoon hemp seeds, 1 teaspoon flax seeds, 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- Remove the kale leaves from the stems and rinse them well. Spread the kale on a paper towel or a dry kitchen towel and dry them. You can also use a salad spinner if you have one available.1 bunch kale
- Squeeze a little bit of lemon (about 1 tablespoon) over the kale, add salt, and massage, or tease, the kale (which helps to soften it and reduce bitterness). You'll want to massage it gently until the kale softens a little.1 tablespoon lemon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cut the dried asparagus into bite-size pieces and add it to a large mixing bowl. Place all other vegetables, the diced apple, dried cranberries and slivered almonds into the mixing bowl with the asparagus. Gently stir in the dressing until all ingredients are combined. Taste the salad and add more salt if necessary, or add more Greek yogurt if it seems too dry.1 large cucumber, 3 stalks celery, 1 large Granny Smith apple, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup microgreens
Notes
- If the dressing is too thick, you can thin it out with a little bit of water or more lemon juice.
- Don't skip the step of massaging the kale leaves with a bit of lemon juice. This helps to tenderize the kale and reduce its bitterness.
- Toasting slivered almonds enhances their flavor. If you have some extra time, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
- Dress the salad just before serving to keep the ingredients crisp and fresh. If you're preparing the salad ahead of time, store the dressing separately and mix it in when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 2892IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 4mg