fruity shredded kale salad, for a crowd | dolly and oatmeal

i may have come to the massaged kale game a few years too late, but can a girl get points for showing up eventually?? i was initially put off my massaged kale salads because of a bad experience i had with one a few years ago. perhaps that restaurant was having a bad day, or maybe my senses weren't up to par, but the kale was super tough and hard to swallow. i specifically remember guzzling my water to get the curly itchy kale down my pipes. since then i've been completely turned off. however, a few months ago i was developing a recipe for a client who wanted to pair their granola clusters with something savory. i knew i needed a substantial and hearty green, something that could cut through the sweetness. and that's when i overcame my irrational fear of massaged kale!

along the way i've not only come to tolerate a kale salad, but absolutely love and crave it on most days! i've found that a sufficient amount of massaging action, and a good period of rest really lets the kale chill out, relax a bit, and become more tender. i also learned that a really tasty and substantial dressing goes a long way. i tend to go with a creamy base, either tahini or dairy-free yogurt, just to give it another texture. while most days i add some form of grain or protein to the salad, today i wanted to add some of cold weather's most sweet and colorful fruit. the idea was to add an even ratio of kale to fruit to make somewhat of a savory fruit salad ;) with the holidays and all the festivities around the new year, i thought a mountainous bowl of this salad was appropriate for some celebratin'! i love making this the day before i serve it - the fruit absorbs a good amount of the dressing beautifully, while the kale becomes suuuper soft and almost delicate. it most certainly has become a new favorite around here! what are some of your go-to holiday dishes to serve to a crowd?

happy holiday season! xo

*and if you didn't see my last post, my cookbook (over in the right top corner ---->) is available for pre-order!

fruity shredded kale salad (gf + v)

| serves 6 to 8 as a side |

creamy shallot dressing

2 shallots, roughly chopped
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dairy-free cultured yogurt (i use this one)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
freshly ground pepper, to taste

salad

2 bunches kale, shredded
salt and fresh pepper
2 to 3 clementines or satsumas, peeled, segmented, and sliced in half
1 large asian pear
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

method

to make the dressing, combine the chopped shallots, vinegar, and salt in a shallow bowl for 10 minutes, until the shallots have softened a bit. then, in a food processor or blender, combine the shallot and vinegar mix with the remaining ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. taste and adjust if necessary. transfer to a lidded container until ready to use. dressing can be made a couple days in advance.
to a large bowl, add the shredded kale; season with a couple pinches of salt, and some fresh pepper to taste. add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing and use your hands to massage the kale for at least 5 minutes (until your hands are adequately green in color!); the kale should be looking darker in color and feel more tender. let the kale sit for another 10 minutes.
add the fruit and another tablespoon or 2 of the dressing and toss until incorporated. serve the salad right away or refrigerate it for up to 1 day in advance. (if refrigerating, i suggest taking the salad out at least 2 hours before serving, letting it come to room temp.)

enjoy!