(Yes, that’s me getting all the food, including this salad, set out for our 34 guests last Sunday. For more information about vocal jazz home concerts, visit us at jazzvox.com)

So as many of you will suspect after reading the list of ingredients for this salad recipe, this is a knock off on the kale salad kit you can buy at Costco or in the produce section of most large grocery stores. At home I hardly ever use salad kits, but when we are traveling in our enormous 15.7 foot (interior space) trailer, we buy salad kits because it just makes sense to do so. (My trailer refrigerator is actually good sized, but there is still only so much room.) So while trailering, salad kits are a real boon towards keeping us closer to our normal practice of eating salads as often as possible. And believe me, when we travel we need all the help we can get, nutrition wise that is. We tend to allow ourselves more guilty pleasure foods when we are far away from home and our bathroom scale. (Jalapeño Cheetos is just one example of the type of food we allow ourselves too often when we are on vacation.) Ahhhh, the memories! But back to reality and this post…

With every dinner, whether I am at home or cooking in my trailer, I try to serve at least one item with some crunch to it. (And no, Cheetos don’t count, even if you are on vacation!) So for the pre-concert JazzVox meal this past Sunday, I served this very crunchy and healthy salad to our guests. Everyone seemed to enjoy the flavors and several people requested the recipe. So dear friends, here is my take on a salad that just smacks of trying to do the right thing for your body. Easy to prepare – yes; healthy – yes; can be prepared ahead of time – yes. All the right requirements! Plus, the 4 components of this salad (the veggies, dressing, cranberries, and seeds) can be stored for more than one meal. Just keep the cut veggies separate from the salad dressing, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Then just before serving, combine whatever amount of greens, dressing, cranberries, and seeds you need, and save the rest for another meal. Easy peasy!

I also learned about another way to use this lovely combination of fresh veggies from our good friend Jim. They can be stir fried for a fabulous warm side dish. Just sauté the veggies in a small amount of good olive oil just until they are crisp tender. Then give them a nice sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and finish with a small drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Or in place of the balsamic vinegar, pour on a small amount of an Asian salad dressing and Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce. Stir until all the veggies are evenly coated. Serve both of these variations hot out of the pan. Thanks Jim for these wonderful suggestions.

So next time you need a wonderful crunchy veggie salad, or a delightful and healthy veggie side dish, give these recipes a try. I guarantee you will enjoy every nutritious bite.

• 2 c. chopped curly kale, massaged (see instructions and information below)
• 2 c. thinly sliced red cabbage
• 2 c. thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 1 c. chopped broccoli
• 4-5 Brussels sprouts, cut in half and then thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 4 green onions, finely minced
• ½ c. dried cranberries
• ½ c. pumpkin seeds

Combine the kale, cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrot, and green onions in a bowl. Add enough salad dressing to just moisten the veggies. (Remember, you can always add more dressing if needed, but it’s darn hard to fix a salad that has been over dressed.) Just before serving, stir in the cranberries and pumpkin seeds.

Salad Dressing:

• 3 T. apple cider vinegar
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. poppy seeds
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all the ingredients together and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature and whisk thoroughly before using in moderation on this or any of your favorite green salads or cole slaws.

Massaged Kale:

Remove the fibrous ribs, wash, dry, and chop the kale into small pieces. Rub the kale pieces together with your fingers for about 2 minutes or until the leaves turn a darker color as the tough cellulose structure breaks down. Massaging kale actually eliminates the bitter taste making it a perfect green for almost any salad.