An Easy Kale Salad for Christmas Eve

Getting the menu right for a holiday is all about balance. I try not to, for example, have too many carb-heavy dishes because you don’t want your guests to feel bloated. Plus, I’m really all about the sides. Plus, the sides can be so colorful! I love the sweetness and the crunchieness of this salad paired with the creamy bolognese pasta I’m serving up on Christmas Eve.

Can I let you guys in on a little secret? I don’t like kale. Well, I didn’t. And I was like, “you have to massage your kale? Too much work.” This coming from the girl who goes to 4 grocery stores every weekend just to shop for the week. I mean, really? So anyway, I made this salad, and I massaged the kale, because nobody has time for bitter kale, and I actually apparently really like it!

I like to have a salad that has a lot of toppings, savory and sweet. Every bite is a little surprise and you never get just a mouth full of kale. Maybe that’s why I ended up enjoying this dish?

So I opted for croutons, red onion, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds (’tis the season to put them on everything), candied pecans and I would serve with a goat cheese or Gorgonzola on the side so folks can decide if they want a cheese on their salad.