Greek Kale Salad

Most salads on this protocol have an expiration measured in minutes, dressed and eaten or dressed and wilted. This one is built to sit in the refrigerator until lunch and still have structure when you open the container, which is a bigger relief than it sounds like when you are already tracking meals, symptoms, and a dozen other things.

Kale holds onto its vitamin K even after a night in the fridge, a nutrient tied to normal blood clotting and bone metabolism that can quietly slip during long stretches of inflammation. Olive oil's oleic acid is being examined for its own possible role in easing that same inflammatory load, which makes the dressing more than a flavor decision.

Take the extra minute to massage the dressing into the leaves by hand. It softens the kale, and it is also a small, deliberate act of care on a stretch of days that has not offered you many others.

Ingredients

Herb dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp fish sauce (clean-label, no additives)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt

Salad:

• 4 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
• 2 cucumbers, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives

Method

Combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fish sauce, honey, onion powder, parsley, thyme, oregano, and salt in a small jar. Seal and shake well until the honey is dissolved and the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Place the chopped kale in a large bowl. Pour half of the dressing over it. Using clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale for about one minute, squeezing and working the leaves until they soften slightly and turn a deeper green. This breaks down the fibrous texture and makes the kale easier to digest.

Add the cucumbers, red onion, and kalamata olives. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and toss to combine.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours. This salad holds better than most because the massaged kale resists wilting.

*Adapted from Lichen Paleo Loving AIP*