Lemon-Tahini Kale Salad with Cranberries, Pepitas and Slivered Almonds

I’m not a vegan, but I sure do love their recipes.

Take this one, courtesy of my sister-in-law Nancy.  Now, Nancy’s not a vegan either.  But she lives in LA which, last I checked, automatically makes her an honorary vegan.

Nancy is a painter with a growing following.  I suggest getting on the train now.  She’s fast friends with vibrant colors.  She stares down the mental parasites that plague us all, transforming human neurosis into things of beauty.  Thanks to Nance, I’m hankering to hang ribbons of fuschia worms on my walls, and after nosing around in her work you may feel the same way.

When not wielding a brush (or a rifle – she’s been known to take her work to the firing range) she’s an equally fearless, inspiring and generous cook. Nancy is always quick with the recipe for her latest culinary obsession, many of which have become staples in kitchens in and around Boston.  Case in point: her goat-cheese-garlic-olive-oil dip, which my extended family eats by the boatload.

This salad has all of Nancy’s color, strength and boldness in a bowl, and it’s predictably addictive.  It’s sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy and tart: the perfect satisfying mix to munch on while writing.  It helps us enjoy a hearty green raw, instead of cooking out the nutrients.  I’ve already chomped my way through most of a head of kale, and it’s not even noon yet.  That’s a good thing.

Most importantly, the fresh flavor profile of tahini, lemon, cranberries and nuts shakes one right out of the late-summer salad rut. So get out your chef’s knife, shred that kale, and go vegan with me.  For lunch, at least.  Mark Bittman-style.

Do you have any vegan recipes good enough to convert carnivores?  Don’t make us beg – share them in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter.

Some more Kale recipes:

Kale Chips

Tuscan Kale and Bean Dinner

Kale Salad with Blood Orange and Meyer Lemon

Kale with Garlic and Bacon

Lemon-Tahini Dressing

• 1 tbsp fresh raw tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 tsp salt
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 tsp lemon curd
• 1 tsp water (optional)

Blend all ingredients except the water.  Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.  If the dressing is very thick (mine was), add water to thin it slightly.

Kale Salad with Cranberries, Pepitas and Slivered Almonds

• One head of kale
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds
• Sprouted red lentils, sprouted mung beans (optional)

Remove the tough center rib from each leaf of kale.  Chop the de-ribbed leaves finely, so that each piece is about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch thick.  Add dried cranberries, pepitas, and chopped almonds.  Alternately, you can reserve the almonds and sprinkle them on top of the tossed salad before serving.  Add sprouted red lentils and mung beans if you like (I haven’t yet tried the optional ingredients, so experiment with the amount).  Toss with the lemon-tahini dressing and serve.

Tagged as: almonds, cranberries, kale, nancy baker cahill, pepitas, recipe, salad, tahini, vegan, vegetarian