Folk School Kale Salad
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- kosher salt
- 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
- 10 to 12 ounces washed and dried kale leaves thick stem removed
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
- craisins
- chickpeas (optional)
In a toaster oven or skillet, toast almonds until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Combine lemon juice and one heaping teaspoon of salt. Slowely whisk in olive oil. Add garlic cloves and set aside to steep.
Working in batches cut the kale into bit size pieces.
Place chopped kale in large bowl. Sprinkle surface with almonds, cheese, craisins, and chickpeas if using. Remove garlic from the dressing. Pour half the dressing over salad and toss. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed.
This is a delicious salad! I’ve been making it for years. I first had it at the John C. Campbell Folk School.
You can adjust the amounts to better suit your taste and leave out what you don’t like. I love chickpeas but don’t always have them on hand to add to the salad.
Toasting the almonds is tricky for me because I’m bad to walk away and not keep an eye on them. They have to be watched closely to prevent burning.
I like to make the salad and keep the dressing separate allowing everyone to dress their portion as they eat.
The salad doesn’t get soggy and will last for several days in the fridge without the dressing. I leave the garlic in the dressing so it can continue to marry with the other ingredients.
The green taste of the kale really comes alive with the saltiness of the cheese and the sweetness of the craisins.
Last night’s video: Putting Together Long Overdue Garden Projects.
Tipper
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Miss Tipper, This sounds like a delicious accompaniment to any meal. I hope to try it someday. I’m probably the only one who will eat it out of the three of us here at home. LOL!
This sounds like a wonderful kale salad! For the past few years I have grown the Dinosaur kale and have sort of grown tired of it. This year I have switched to a curly leaf and I think it will be a good change with more tender leaves.
When it starts coming in, I will try this recipe.
my brother has went to be with Jesus
God bless you Norman. I’m so sorry.
Sorry you lost your brother Norman but if he’s with Jesus his worries and your worries for him are over. Rejoice his battle is won!
So so sorry, Norman.
I am sorry for your loss, Norman. I know you loved him very much through all of your posts.
I am very sorry Norman. I am glad you know he is now with Jesus and free of pain.
Norman
I’m so sorry for your loss. I will be in prayer for you. God bless you
I’m so sorry to hear this, Norman. You certainly were his champion until he was released from his suffering♡
My condolences to you Mr. Norman and your family. I’ve lost a sister, two brothers and our parents. I can say I know your grief. May God comfort you in your grief and give you peace. Prayers for your family at this time. Sincerely, South Mississippi Jennifer
Good morning everyone. Praying for you and your brother, Norman !
Thank you for sharing the delicious salad recipe , Tipper ! Looking forward to trying it !
Of course, if you don’t want to eat it all as a salad, you can always throw it in the food processor and make a different kind of pesto from the usual basil kind (that’s without the chickpeas; with a lot of chickpeas, you can make hummus and leave out the dried cranberries). I know, I’m almost sounding like, “If somehow you reckon you’ve done it wrong, here’s how to salvage it…” but that’s the secret to preparing food and not letting it go to waste. Sometimes, maybe you just want to change things up but still keep it fairly recognizable as to the taste if not always the presentation.
This is my lucky day. I just so happen to have bought three very beautiful bunches of kale Saturday evening and have all the ingredients to make this. I just love it when all the stars align and you have all the ingredients to make a new recipe.
Chopping and cleaning the kale as we speak- surrounded by 100 solo cups on all sides, in various stages of growing seeds.
My messy life.
Yum! My family loves kale salad and makes one very similar to this. It seems to me that we have always preferred dressing the salad a couple hours before eating if possible, which softens the kale a bit. We also love to put sunflower seeds and honey goat cheese on our kale salad! There are so many wonderful variations you can do. I am going to save your recipe and try this exact version sometime. I love to grow kale and it seems like there’s always an abundance of it! I like to put some in the freezer for soups throughout the winter as well as giving our chickens lots of kale to feast on during the warm months.
Toasted pumpkin seeds also work well on this salad.
Salad looks good–makes me want a ‘kilt’ salad (here in Oklahoma we call it wilted lettuce.
I don’t know if you ever saw a cooking channel on youtube called ‘in the kitchen with mama mel’…remember her family in prayer as she at only 53 passed away suddenly April 1st….her daughter posted that ‘she went to sleep here and woke up in heaven with Jesus’. She was a good Christian woman, had a good Christian husband, parents and young adult kids. Tonight (monday) is her funeral service with burial tomorrow.
My parents called it “scalded lettuce”.
I made a garden mistake this year. My wife likes kale – but only the curly kind. I planted Dwarf Siberian and it is up and big enough to pick some. But, alas, it is flat-leafed. Not the first time I’ve been wrong; somehow I had myself convinced it was curly. Got a run of nights in the 40’s this week and days in the high-60s/low-70#s. Hope that means a slow but strong start for what I have planted. We had some rain and sunshine together this past Saturday. I went out rainbow hunting but did not find one. Sure made a shiny world.
Good morning Tipper, since I love kale I will certainly try this recipe. We’re expecting snow again today, I keep praying that this will be the last one! On a good note most of my Cherokee tomatoes have sprouted up, seeing the little green shoots come up makes me happy! Have a blessed day everyone!
Morning everyone. Like I always say, you remind me of things from the past. When I saw the Kale I remembered that I didn’t make spinach on Good Friday. My moms family always made spinach and French toast, I guess that resembled bitter vegetables and unleavened bread. Both sides of my family are Catholic but maybe out of respect to Jesus being Jewish they kept a few Jewish traditions. Kind of like me making Corned beef on St. Patrick’s. I’m not Irish. I doubt my mom knew what unleavened bread was. I don’t have spinach or kale. I have a can of mustard greens and Jewish rye bread for French toast. This doesn’t sound right. In my defense, I have a cold or allergies or something, so I’m not thinking straight. Or maybe I’m just getting old. No, no, It’s a cold. Anna from Arkansas.
Thank you for sharing the salad recipe. The only way I have ever had kale was cooked and seasoned with bacon grease. I eat a garden salad three or four times a week, and never get tired of them. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, which includes some of my favorite ingredients such as Parmesan cheese, garlic, and almonds.
Norman, it breaks my heart to hear that your brother might not have recognized you. You did the right thing by placing his life in God’s hands. I’m praying for you and Bennie.
Tipper, a hanging basket of beautiful flowers would be beautiful hanging from your hook but have you ever considered a solar lantern? Not one of my friends would be surprised at this suggestion hahahaha as I am known for my love of solar lighting to enhance the beauty of my little piece of paradise. I also think the boys would enjoy it. I have lights along the brick walkway to my pond, soft lit spot lights on the brick pillars of my porch. Outback where no security light reaches at night, I have spot lights on the hostas planted along the back and southside of the perimeter of the house. Also around my garden spot and a spot light on the old well pump. I take nightly walks around my property and the lovely glow just adds to the ambiance and magical feeling I get as I share my daily gratitudes.
Norman, I’m so sorry about your brother. I’m praying for him as I type this and for you as well♡
Happy Easter Monday to everyone. I hope you had a great day. Norman, I have added both you and your brother to my prayer list. He’s not going through this alone, it affects everyone in the family. We really enjoyed the video of the putting together of garden things. I thought they might have looked good with one at each corner of the back porch with a hanging basket. But then I thought that might be too tempting for two little men to leave alone. Matt had the same thought when he aspheric wondered how long before Ira shoots it with a BB gun! Hahaha. Love and prayers to everyone. HE is risen!! Have a blessed day.
Your kale salad and dressing recipe sounds delicious. I am going to mix up the dressing and let it marry all day till supper time. We had a wonderful weekend with the family. Our six grandchildren, from ages 2 to 15, all enjoyed the egg hunt on Saturday. They ran and played with each other all day long; and we all enjoyed dinner, desserts, and fellowship. Easter morning church services were beautiful too. I thank God for all my many blessings—and I wish the same for everyone here. Have a wonderful week.
Prayers for Norman and his brother send the Great Comforter
Sounds like a wonderful salad!
Good morning, Tipper and Acorns. TY so much for the Kale Salad recipe. I had some kale in the fridge and whipped it up in a jiffy. I usually use poppy seed or raspberry or walnut dressing but I’m well pleased to use your lemon juice and garlic dressing this time. I absolutely loved watching as you and Matt put the raised beds and the plant hooks together. The spot you chose for the hook is perfect. I can’t wait to see a basket hanging there every year. I hope everyone has a blessed day and it will be as long as we live it for GOD. I keep everyone here and up Wilson Hollow in my prayers. I’m saying extra prayers for Corie and Katie. You, Matt and your extended family sure did a great job guiding them into womanhood. Their Q & A post yesterday ought to be watched by everyone. I love y’all.
Good Monday morning Tipper! We had frost last night. Glad I didn’t get the cabbages in the ground yet! I hope you have a wonderful day today. Blessings
I’d like to have me some of that kale salad, I can’t make it, I believe it would be good though, I got to see my brother yesterday, I don’t think he recognized me, I laid hands on him and prayed for him, I commanded healing, and I beg God for his life, he managed to take a sip of soda from a cup through a straw, his head went to hurting, and they gave came and gave him medication, I’ve come to realize the Lord has different plans for my brother from what I do, I have placed my brother in the hands of the Lord, the Lord’s will shall be done, please continue to pray for my brother, thank you and God bless you
Norman, I’m so sorry. I will keep praying for him and you.
Norman, I’m so sorry for the pain you and your family are experiencing watching your brother go through this. I am praying for you all, along with Bennie. “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
Norman, I understand your heartbreak. I had to release my sister into our Lord’s Hands. My prayer for her ultimate healing was not answered my way. I still trust Him in all ways. One day we will be together again. My prayers continue for you and your brother. Blessings
His Will Be Done, as always. Prayers for your brother, whichever way this thing goes.
Praying for you Norman and for your brother. God bless you both.
Norman, I am so sorry for this pain and worry. I will keep saying prayers for you and Bennie.