Kale Waldorf Salad

One of the first recipes I copied from my grandmother was for a simple Waldorf Salad.  I still have that 3×5 card and still enjoy a big bowl of it from time to time, with its hearty crunch and tart-sweet pairing of flavors.  With my love of kale, I developed a new recipe, loosely based on the classic version.  So satisfying, it would be a fabulous vegetarian main dish while complimenting almost any protein as a side.  I love it for lunch, too.  The dressing for this salad is genius, blending sweet and savory whole foods into a delicious, creamy dressing that pairs beautifully with the bitter crunch of kale and sweet bite of apple.

Kale Waldorf Salad:

4 cups packed raw kale, chopped (Dinosaur or Lacinato kale work well)

1 large sweet red apple, chopped and divided  (Honeycrisp and Fuji are great choices)

1 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cups toasted pecans, divided

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raisins, divided

1/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt (I use Chobani)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons water (plus more for thinning dressing, if needed)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toppings:  sunflower seeds and blue cheese (see photo caption below for options)

Place kale in a large bowl.  Add half of the apple, all of the celery, 1/4 cup pecans, and 1/4 cup raisins.  Place the remaining apple in a blender or food processor along with the remaining 1/4 cup pecans, 2 tablespoons raisins, yogurt, Dijon, 3 tablespoons water, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Puree until combined and slightly thick, adding an extra tablespoon or so of water if needed to thin. Pour over kale salad and toss to distribute. Garnish with sunflower seeds and blue cheese, if desired.    I love a hefty sprinkle of both!

This is my traditional recipe. In the photo at the top of the page, I used a green apple, feta cheese, and a mix of cashews and sunflower seeds. I also added a hint of maple syrup to the dressing to mitigate the tartness of the Granny Smith apple.