Massaged Kale Salad with Chickpeas

Originally published July 13, 2021

Kale is an amazing vegetable. Not only is it super healthy to eat, but it grows really well in our climate. So well in fact, that we can grow kale most of the year. This, of course, can lead to a little too much kale. So, what to do? Cue the kale recipes!

This massaged kale salad is a great salad to make on the weekend (or whenever you have the time) and eat all week long. It works equally well as part of a quick lunch or as a side dish for dinner. It can be stuffed into a wrap or pita pocket, or eaten as is….. and it uses a lot of kale!

On the farm, we generally bunch our kale with seven or eight stems per bunch, so for this recipe you will need two bunches. Clean the kale with water, being careful to check the folds or curls of the kale for dirt or debris.

Massaged Kale Salad

• two bunches kale

• one small handful of fresh dill

• 2-4 garlic scapes

• 4-6 tablespoons orange juice (can sub. lemon juice, but it's not as sweet)

• 3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)

• 1 can garbanzo beans, or about 2 cups home-cooked garbanzo beans

Trim the center stems from kale leaves and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Place the kale in alarge bowl and sprinkle with the 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 4 tablespoons of orange juice.
Begin grabbling the kale by large handfuls in the bowl and squeezing.... keep grabbing, squeezing, and mixing back in until all the kale turns a bright green and feels softer and less springy. You can also rub smaller handfuls between your fingers. This is the massaging, which breaks down a bit of the toughness of the kale leaves. This may take several minutes, so be patient and just keep massaging.
When the kale is soft, set it aside and chop the dill and garlic scapes finely. Toss them in with the kale, add the olive oil, and begin taste-testing. You may want to add more vinegar, more orange juice, or salt. When you like the general combination, add the garbanzo beans and stir.
Serve immediately or chill to serve later. Goes well with brown rice or as a filling for a wrap or pita pocket. I just ate it plain!