Kale comes packed with nutrients, but when eaten raw, it can use a few goodies to give it a boost of flavor. This salad is full of spelt berries, walnuts, cranberries, onion, and thyme, which complement the kale and harmonize to embellish every bite. This way you score all of kale’s perks and enjoy a flavorful, varied, and satisfying meal at the same time. You may never return to more delicate green salads again.
Ingredients
Fine sea salt
- 1 cup dry spelt berries, picked through and rinsed
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion (see Notes)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra as
- needed
- Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)
- 1 bunch curly green and/or purple kale (about 12 ounces), washed, ribs and stems removed, cut into 2-
- inch pieces (see Notes)
- Crumbled feta or ricotta salata cheese, for topping (optional)
How to Make It
- 1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spelt berries and cook, partially covered, until they are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Drain the spelt berries and spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
- 2. Combine the spelt berries, cranberries, walnuts, onion, thyme, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Drizzle in half of the dressing and toss to combine all the ingredients. Add the kale and more dressing to taste, and toss until the kale is evenly distributed and dressed. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and top with the feta if you wish.
