November 18, 2012

Kale Salad with Chicken and Creamy Cumin Dressing

If there was a vote to the determine type of meal that lends itself to the Slow Carb Diet the best, I would cast my ballot for salads.  The versatility and nutritional content for salads make a hell of a platform to contend with and its not hard to replace croutons and buttermilk based dressing with Slow Carb friendly options that are just as tasty.

My typical salad involves 5 parts: protein (usually grilled), cooked veggies, uncooked veggies, greens, and dressing.  When saving leftovers I’ll combine the protein with the cooked veggies in one container and the rest in separate containers.  Then when I take it to work I’ll use a large sealable bowl to bring the uncooked veggies and greens, a small microwavable container for the protein and cooked veggies, and the dressing in a small jar.  Preparation is as easy as microwaving the small container and combining everything in the large bowl.

This salad was inspired by a recipe for Chicken with Kale Freekeh-Lentil Pilaf from Epicurious which is also a solid Slow Carb option in its own right (minus the Freekeh).  The recipe is written for using a grill but you could also bake the chicken and broccoli if that is not an option.  Also the inclusion of lemon juice is optional since obviously that would be a Slow Carb no-no but such a small amount doesn’t cause me concern.

Kale Salad with Chicken and Creamy Cumin Dressing

By November 18, 2012

A quick and easy kale salad bursting with flavor.  The key for the dressing is to use a quality sherry vinegar.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Instructions

Start the grill.  Cut broccoli into bite size florets and put into an aluminum foil boat.  Lightly coat with EVOO, salt, and pepper and then cover with another piece of foil to create a packet to be grilled.  Lay out chicken breasts and lightly sprinkle with salt+pepper.  Depending on your grill setup you may be able to start grilling the packet and meat while you prepare the rest of the recipe, for the first time though its probably easiest to finish prepping before you begin using the grill.
Dice onion[1] and bell peppers[2] and place in small container along with halved cherry tomatoes.  Remove stems from kale[3], wash, and tear into bite size pieces (approximately an inch in diameter).
To a blender/food processor add 3/4 cup EVOO, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, juice of 1 lemon (optional), Dijon mustard, cumin, finely chopped garlic clove, , and a pinch of salt+pepper.  Blend on high until all ingredients are combined then pour into small jar.
After broccoli and chicken are finished grilling dice the meat into bite sized chunks and combine all ingredients and the dressing in a bowl to serve immediately.  If some servings will be saved for leftovers refrigerate in containers of the following: broccoli+chicken, onion+peppers+tomato, kale, and dressing in jar.
Optional: Avocado should be diced[4] and added to the salad but only immediately before serving.
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One Response to Kale Salad with Chicken and Creamy Cumin Dressing

  1. Betsy

    Looks great! Excited to try the recipe!

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