Restraint and I are not the closest of friends. I may have overdone it a bit on Halloween and the day after. So much candy. So many drinks. Such a good time. And that’s why kale was invented. It’s our reset button. Kale is our designated driver, our friend that reminds us to not eat that 10th mini snickers bar. Kale sets us straight, makes us right. And this salad does just that in the most delicious way possible!
Do you have any kale-haters in the household? I do. My husband despises kale. He literally says it’s “dumb.” I know, he crazy. But, even he loved this salad! The texture is a wonderland of crisp and crunch with varying degrees of sweetness from the apple, dried cranberries and maple syrup in the vinaigrette. The black Spanish radish — which I’m renaming to Black Beauty, because…well…it’s just so perty — offers a bit of contrast to the many layers of sweet. The toasted almonds add the needed nuttiness, and the curry powder brings it all together with it’s deep earthy warmth. This salad wants to give you hug. And then a slap on the back of the head…time for that reset!
A Black Spanish Radish, the skin is so beautiful there’s no need to peel it, just give it a good rinse and delicate scrub.
This is a gorgeous, festive salad; it would be perfect for a holiday meal.
The kale needs a little attention, a little love, a nice vinaigrette massage. Pour some curry vinaigrette over the chopped kale and get in there with clean hands. Give it a rub down, treat it right.
Pile it all up on a platter or in a bowl. The colors will make you smile.
Give it another dousing of dressing. The varieties of crunch and sweetness combined with the aromatic warmth of the curry vinaigrette will drive you wild! Yeah, baby, yeah!
This recipe has been submitted to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck.
Apple Kale Salad with Curry Vinaigrette
1 apple, cored and sliced thin
1/4 – 1/2 black Spanish radish (depending on size), julienned
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
For the Curry Vinaigrette:
(makes about 1 cup)
1/4 cup maple syrup, warmed
1 Tablespoon course ground mustard
2 – 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
pinch of salt
Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar and whisk together or put the lid on shake vigorously; taste and adjust seasoning as desired (if you want it more acidic add more vinegar, if you want it less acidic add more olive oil).
Chop the kale and add it to a large bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette over the kale and, using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale for a minute or two; let set for a few minutes to allow the dressing to soften the kale slightly. Add the remaining ingredients to the kale and add another 1/4 cup of dressing; stir to combine. Taste, and add more dressing if desired. You will have leftover dressing; it will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Enjoy!
the Seasonal Veg Head 
I’ve never seen a black radish before, It’s pretty! Just found your blog, lovely pics!
Thank you so much! Black radishes are so good and their size makes them easy to cut–slice them into rounds for the perfect raw veggie chip for dips. 🙂
i love apples and i ate this salad its very tasty and light
check this http://www.homemadeyogurt.net/