It’s not every day I make a plea to get intimate with your greens.
I mean, who in their right mind massages their greens anyway?
When I first encountered the term ‘massaged kale’ I found it not only pretentious but kind of silly too. Had kale been elevated to such a precious status that it now required massaging? I couldn’t just eat the stuff, I needed to pet it too?
And was there any point to this ritual or was it merely to establish the depth of my reverence for this culinary darling?
Being the curious soul that I am, I wanted to investigate further. So I took a step back, depersonalized the whole thing and decided to give this otherwise innocent green a fair shot.
And yes, a couple years ago, I too started massaging my kale. And here’s what I discovered:
- Semantics: While the term ‘massage’ is irksome in that affected kind of way, the idea is not new. Our hands are almost always involved in some capacity in the kneading, mixing and combining of foods and food ingredients. After all, we rub our meats and veggie proteins before tossing them onto the grill and we use our hands to ensure the good and proper penetration of marinades and dressings. We also routinely engage in the hand-rolling and kneading of dough. We just don’t generally refer to any of these practices as massaging.
- Texture: In its raw form, kale is a tough and at times bitter green. Using your fingers to work a little olive oil into the leaves breaks down the fibrous cell walls and literally softens the green while mellowing its sharp taste, making it more palatable and considerably easier to digest for many (including kids who wear braces!). And neat too that you can achieve this effect without having to heat the plant or diminish its nutrient content.
- Taste: Beyond softening and reducing the bitterness factor, when you work a little oil and herbs into the kale leaves, the flavor penetrates each of the leaves allowing the entire salad to be well seasoned while avoiding the problem of over-saturated dripping dressing on impermeable leaves (yuck!) or a pool of dressing sitting at the bottom of the bowl and a bunch of tasteless bites.
- Beauty! Most curly kale (the most common variety) will be a moderate to light green colour when you purchase it. Perfectly handsome in its own right but when you massage the leaves, watch for the magic transformation. After just a minute of working the leaves, you will uncover the most gorgeous, lush, deep-coloured green imaginable. It’s like polishing silver ;-). You can compare my unmassaged kale below to the deeper more saturated leaves in the finished salad.
To summarize, if you can get past the massage thing, you may find it well worth the two minute practice of rubbing a little olive oil into your kale leaves. The taste, texture and appearance are incomparable in my view.
You may even find that the consumption of this powerhouse green becomes less about should and more about want, which is the only way to build sustainable eating habits.
Be sure to check out my Nutrition & Cooking Notes for more information and do let me know if you get close up and personal with your kale!
Massaged Kale Salad with fresh Apricot & Spicy Skillet Chickpeas
Massaged Kale Salad with fresh Apricot & Spicy Skillet Chickpeas
For the Kale Salad
- 1 generous bunch kale leaves (4-6 cups), washed and torn into smaller bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups (500 mL) cooked chickpea, thoroughly rinsed and dried
- 6 fresh apricots, sliced or diced as desired
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) shaved almond, or any other nut/seed of choice
For the Chickpea Spice
-
1 tsp (5 mL) cumin powder
-
1 tsp (5 mL) coriander powder
-
2 tsp (10 mL) curry powder
-
pinch paprika
- pinch chili powder of choice
-
pinch cinnamon powder
-
pinch sea salt
For the Massage Oil ;-) or Salad Dressing
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
- juice of one lime (about 2 Tbsp/30 mL)
- 2 tsp (10 mL) honey
- sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste
Serves 4
Nutrition & Cooking Notes:
- This is a perfect warm summer’s day lunch salad. I sometimes add a chopped boiled egg but tend to gravitate towards the more easily digested proteins when the heat is on. Even chicken (a beloved stable in our home) can feel too heavy this time of year.
- You can use any combination of spices you wish for the chickpeas. I chose a mildly spicy Indian inspired combination that seemed to work nicely with the apricot but of course, this is all a matter of personal preference.
- Nutrition Snapshot of Kale: An excellent source of vitamins K, beta-carotene/A & C and the eye-protective carotenoids (antioxidants) lutein and zeaxanthin. Notable minerals include: calcium, potassium and plant-based iron. Studies continue to link kale, and other dark leafy vegetables, with a lower risk of cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. The vitamin E content in kale is also said to protect our brain cells against oxidative damage, helping keep our minds healthy as we age.
- Nutrition Snapshot of Apricot: Fresh apricots are a quality source of beta-carotene/A, vitamin C and potassium. They also happen to be in season right now and could not be more beautiful growing with abandon here in California. Their sweet taste and soft texture makes them a gorgeous complement to the spicy Indian inspired chickpeas in this recipe.
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Nutrition Snapshot of beans! Often neglected, the lowly bean delivers potent health benefits including assisting with blood sugar regulation, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and guarding against cardiac incidents. They are an excellent source of quality carbohydrate, fibre and protein as well as delivering numerous vitamins and minerals (notably folate, magnesium and iron).
Directions:
- Warm a dry skillet over medium-high heat and toss chickpeas in warmed skillet for about two minutes to remove any residual moisture. Be sure to shake the pan and/or stir the chickpeas.
- While this is happening, sprinkle the chickpeas with seasonings of choice. I used a combination of: cumin, coriander, curry, paprika, chili, cinnamon and sea salt with black pepper. Stir seasoned chickpeas to integrate.
- After about two minutes, drizzle a little bit of coconut or olive oil over the seasoned chickpeas and toss to combine.
- Keep stirring the chickpeas and adjust seasonings as desired.
- The texture of the chickpeas will remain soft but the taste will evolve into a well-seasoned delight with the once dry seasonings now coating the oiled chickpeas.
- When the chickpeas are well saturated with flavor, remove from heat and reserve.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl or container with fitted lid, combine salad dressing ingredients whisking or shaking well to integrate.
- Place kale pieces in a large mixing bowl (I use a large wooden bowl) and drizzle with dressing.
- Simply use your fingers to work the oil/dressing into the kale leaves – watch and feel the color/texture transformation. After only two minutes your kale is beautifully seasoned and softened and all set to eat.
- You will also find that it’s easier during the massage stage to remove any excessively hard pieces from the center rib of the kale. The leaves will fall off the rib quite easily and your fingers will be in place to feel it happen and facilitate the process.
- Place massaged kale in large serving bowl, or on individual serving plates, and dress with seasoned chickpeas, fresh apricot and almonds. Optional add-ins and variations: chopped boiled egg, sliced avocado, feta or halloumi cheese.
- Enjoy and do let me know if you give this method a try! :)
© Inspired Edibles
finally, someone has explained this to me!!! thanks you. And that is quite the gorgeous salad!!!
Hi Kelly. I’ve just come over from Evas blog. I was incredibly sceptical about the “massaging” Doesn’t actually seem that silly now.
Could be done this week since the suns out in the UK for once.
Massaged the kale tonight and it worked beautifully! Thank you!!!! I steamed it with the oil massaged in (didn’t want to say massage oil!) and a spritz of fresh lemon juice. I never though I would enjoy kale on it’s own, but it was fabulous! :)
I have a bunch of kale in the fridge right now. It’s actually on our menu for tonight. I’ve never heard of massaging kale (and it does certainly sound odd), but I’m definitely going to give it a shot. If it helps with the bitterness, that will do wonders for my “wanting” it. :)
This looks so beautiful and nourishing!
This is the perfect salad for my taste buds! I love kale, and I looove cooked chickpeas- roasted, in the skillet, or any other way, I just love them. The spice combination that you used sounds so great.
Yes, the whole massaging thing seemed like a massive joke to me at first, too. But then I tried it and saw the difference that it made and tried to convince others to massage their kale, too- oh god, did I really become THAT person? ;-)
Haha I love how you called the salad dressing massage oil- too funny.
That is very interesting Kelly, I’ve never massaged my Kale either and had I read that anywhere else, I would have surely moved on. But it is the wonderful way you string your words together and the beautiful accompanying photographs that always draws me in and like a good spy novel, I can’t stop reading until the very end! Sitting in our screened in porch at the lake, I wish I had made kale one of our dishes in our meal plan because suddenly I’m in the mood to massage those greens.
Eva https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com
SO GOOD. First discovered massaged kale not too long ago and I love it. The texture completely transforms and it looks and tastes so much better. Brilliant colours- apricots are so sweet and juicy right now and they look stunning against the green! And those spicy chickpeas… ha they might not make it to the salad.. yum ;)
Shu x
http://www.mummyicancook.com
You have definitely taken the massaged kale salad to a whole new level! Like you, I’ve been massaging kale for a couple of years now, or should I say Bobby has. He loves massaging the kale. :) However, I’ve never made a massaged kale salad near as elaborate as yours. Everything about it is pretty awesome! Love the spicy chick peas thrown in. My toasted pumpkin seeds seem so boring now.
Haha, so great! You always bring the biggest smile Kelly, I look forward to your posts every week. I love how you set this up for us and now I too must try the sacred massage oil… ;-). This recipe is not only beautiful, it is also unique. I keep coming across cherry recipes (which are also nice) but I like how you’ve showcased the underutilized apricot and contrasted it with spicy chickpeas – it sounds so delicious! Love that apricot tree photo… wow! Thank you for the detailed breakdown on kale; it really does sound worth the rub :)
“Had kale been elevated to such a precious status that it now
required massaging? I couldn’t just eat the stuff, I needed to pet it
too?”
BEST line I’ve heard all week. Hilarious and so true!! That’s the reaction it creates but you expressed it so well, I just about launched my coffee all over my desk ;-). Now let’s talk about your photos… my first reaction was that I was flipping through a gourmet food magazine. Seriously. Just gorgeous. I’m loving the combination of ingredients here and I can just imagine how well the pairing of Indian spiced chickpea and apricot is… what a flavor explosion. I am now also seriously tempted to try the massage technique – you make a good case for it (to be honest, I haven’t had that much experience with kale) but this post has definitely got me intrigued. Thank you for all the information and for delivering it in such a fun way – love it!
This is a perfect salad for the whole summer season. I must try your skillet chickpeas … love all the spices that you have added there.
heeheehee! I love your explanation :) Is that your hand picking some fresh apricots? Oh my, how amazing those must be! Such a creative salad and your photos are gorgeous. Massage oil..hehehe!
Are we really sisters separated at birth? (ok, separated by decades too, but let’s not worry about numbers)
so many times I went into severe eye rolling syndrome when I encountered the massaged kale thing, that I never thought of trying it.
Only you to change my mind! I will be getting pretty intimate with my kale soon. Now, do you recommend a particular type of outfit? Or can I just face with my running gear?