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| Kale is a springy, cooling leafy green. |
I had an excellent July 4 weekend. I went swimming in Lake Washington, went on a hike, saw some excellent fireworks and – most importantly – went to a barbecue every night. I did not go into the weekend expecting to attend 4 barbecues.
So, by the time Monday rolled around, I was craving food that wasn’t so … charred? I came up with something light, sweet and easy: a kale salad with carrots, raisins and a couple of other spices. It turned out to be the perfect antidote to all the grilled food because it cools and fills the mouth. Here’s how I made it:
- 1 bunch (your local supermarket will decide this portion for you) of kale, red or green
- 1 cup of shredded carrot
- ½ cup of minced raisins (it’s a real pain mincing raisins; make sure to wet your knife first)
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (or balsamic, whatever your taste)
- Sesame seed, flax seed and ground black pepper (as much or as little as you want)
Shred the carrot and kale in your food processor with the shredder attachment (separately). Then toss in a bowl with the wet and dry ingredients. Tune it up to your taste and serve chilled alongside traditional barbecue fare.
And while I enjoyed eating that salad, it was not the best food I ate this weekend. That was the garden fresh broccolini (like, really fresh – my friend picked it from her garden as the charcoals were heating up) grilled until crispy. It was, I dare, better than grilled asparagus …
I hope your July 4 was as good as mine. Tell us about yours!
