Delicious Raw Kale and Beet Salad

Kale is a rough and tough cabbagee-thingy that's a little less than friendly in it's natural state, but massaging salt into the raw leaves can turn Kale into a delicious salad green. Here's my favorite raw kale recipe:

Raw Kale and Beet Salad

ingredients:
Kale (8-10 leaves)
2 Beet roots (medium-sized)
2 Tomatoes (small...I use plum tomatoes)
2 Carrots
1/2 cup Golden Raisins
Salt (to taste...I use approx. 1 tsp.)
Pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil (1 Tbsp)
Balsamic Vinegar (2 tsp)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove greens from beets and cut root bulbs into smaller pieces, about 1/2 inch squares. Spread the beet pieces onto a baking pan and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 25-35 minutes, remove and allow to cool.
While beets are cooking, remove the spine from the center of the kale leaves and tear kale into salad pieces. Kale is rough, but adding salt to the greens will draw out moisture and soften the leaves, making them darker. Gently massage salt into the kale until it achieves a desirable consistency, this may take several minutes. Grate carrots into the greens, add raisins, then toss and divide portions into salad bowls. In a separate bowl, add diced tomatoes and cooled beets, then add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper and mix together. Spoon beet/tomato mixture over kale greens and serve.

This is a delicious way to enjoy and optimize the benefits of raw kale. I'm not usually a big raisin fan, but I find the raisins work really well in this salad. I've contemplated tossing minced ginger into the mix, but haven't gotten around to doing so, although I might next time I whip this dish up. If you give it a try, let me know what you think.

This is one of the healthiest dishes I routinely prepare, but be aware, eating beets can cause some rosy changes when you answer "the call of nature". (Don't be alarmed, you probably won't be dying...in fact, you'll probably be doing a lot better.)