The weather has turned tropical here, with temperatures creeping up to 90 and plenty of humidity. This kind of summer heat makes me want to forgo the heavy meals and fill my plate with fresh, juicy fruits and vegetables. Some may find this surprising, but I don’t usually make too many salads. If I do, it’s usually a quick “throw some baby spinach on half my plate” with a drizzle of vinegar or lemon juice kind of salad. Lately though, I’ve been craving big leafy green salads, and this lemony kale number has a been a regular lunch item over the last few weeks.

Part of the reason I don’t make a lot of salads is that I always think I need to cut up a hundred veggies for them, and I never want to take the time. In reality, you don’t need a ton of veggies for a good salad. Sometimes keeping it simple yields the tastiest salad, where you can really appreciate each flavor. 3 reasons I keep coming back to this salad:

1. It’s easy and quick to throw together
2. It’s full of detoxifying, get-your-skin-glowing ingredients
3. You can customize it according to season and what you have on hand

I’m a little late getting this posted, and I realize strawberry season is pretty much done, but you can easily substitute other summer fruits for the strawberries. Try using peaches, nectarines, apricots, or raspberries. If you’re in the mood to chop up veggies, try adding some cool cucumbers or hyrdating jicama. If you’re adding a lot of extras, you might want to double up the lemon tahini dressing.

Stay cool and boost your summer glow with this fresh and juicy strawberry kale salad.

Want to know more about kale and get really excited about all of it’s amazing benefits? Check out this great article from Thrive Cuisine.

Strawberry Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing (oil-free, vegan)

serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale, washed and finely chopped (about 4-5 cups)
• 10 large strawberries sliced, or substitute raspberries, chopped peaches, apricots or other fruit of choice

Lemon Tahini Dressing:

• juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 heaping tbsp of tahini
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• pinch of sea salt

Nut + Seed Topping: handful of sesame seeds, chopped almonds, and sunflower seeds

Directions:

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl, until smooth. Add the chopped kale and use your clean hands to work the dressing into the kale. Massage it in for a good minute, this will help make the kale tender. I usually let the dressing do it’s magic for a few minutes while I slice the strawberries and gather my toppings. Stir in the fruit and nuts and seeds and serve!

Alternative “Parmesan” Topping:

Sometimes I like to top this kale salad with a really easy nutty “parmesan.” Use a mini food processor or bullet type blender with a straight blade to grind up a handful of either cashews or almonds (or a mixture of both) with a pinch of salt and a half tsp of nutritional yeast. Grind until you get course crumbs and sprinkle into your salad.