Strawberry Coconut Kale Slaw | dolly and oatmeal

when we were in LA for vacation last january we made a stop at the whole foods in downtown for a quick dinner. it was the second night of our trip, and i remember amesy was particularly irritable, so a fast dinner was in order. at the prepared counter at the whole foods in in new york, there are slim pickings, and they rarely change up what's on the menu, so i thought my decision in LA would be a quick one. it turned out that i was wrong. there were mounds of beautiful fresh salads and my dinner choice couldn't have been harder to decide. i wanted to sample each dish, but my crying babe quickly brought me back to reality so i hurriedly got the strawberry kale salad.

that split second judgement couldn't have been better. that salad transported me from my bleak winter blues, into the land of plenty where strawberries were already being served atop fresh greens. cranky baby aside, that meal was heaven. and apparently i'm not the only one out there that loves that particular whole foods salad. there's at least a few recipes on the web dedicated to recreating it as well! this version here is more of a slaw. the kale is chopped in shreds, and marinated a bit, and it generally has a lighter feel. there's a good amount of toasted coconut shreds tossed in and more on top for good measure, along with some toasty pine nuts. it's all dressed in a really simple honey-lime vinaigrette that i love. it's a great salad for a gathering, and will serve up to 10 people. this past weekend my man and i served it up to a small crowd alongside a potato salad, some grass-fed burgs, and a simple blueberry lemon cake. all about those easy-peasy dishes ;)

happy june. big hugs, all!

strawberry coconut kale slaw

you could easily halve this recipe. but leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to a few days, and might i say will taste better as the days go by. the slaw can also be made the day before and be stored in the fridge. make sure to take the slaw out an hour or so prior to serving.

inspired by whole foods

| serves 6-10 |

3/4 cup toasted coconut shreds
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 bunches kale, stemmed and shredded
1 tablespoon liquid extra virgin coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper
1 pound strawberries, halved or quartered
5 green onions, white and light green parts sliced thin

honey-lime vinaigrette

juice from 2 limes
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons raw honey
fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper

method

heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the coconut shreds. toast the coconut until lightly brown and fragrant, shaking the pan every now to prevent burning. remove the coconut and let it cool. in the same pan, toast the pine nuts until lightly browned, shaking the pan every now and then. remove the nuts and let them cool.
add the kale, oil, lemon juice, and big pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. massage everything until the kale has softened, about 5 minutes. add half of the coconut, the pine nuts, strawberries, and green onions.
in a lidded jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil, and honey. fasten the lid and give it a good shake, season with salt and pepper.
drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to distribute the dressing. garnish the top of the salad with the remaining toasted coconut.