This bright and light kale and nectarine salad is just perfect for Spring! Well… in New Jersey we have officially hit summer with a high of 88 degrees today. In fact, we skipped over Spring altogether! It went from Winter, a day or two of Spring, back to Winter, straightΒ to Summer. Anyways, back to this salad! I love kale salads. That earthy crunch you get when you take a bite. The arugula has a nice lemony pepper taste. The nectarines just give it a sweet juicy finish.
Begin by chopping the kale into one inch pieces. Add the to a bowl and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Massage the kale until the oil is well incorporated. Massaging the kale will wilt it a bit. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on top. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix around until well combined. Keep kale in the refrigerator for up to an hour before serving.
Mix in the arugula at the very end to ensure you do not wilt the arugula too much. Assemble your plates by creating a bed of salad in the middle. Top your salad with the juicy nectarines and soft fresh mozzarella. Feel free to use peaches or plums instead of nectarines. Add the toasted pine nuts and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
You can top your salad with a protein of choice; tofu, fish or meat.
- 3 cups kale, chopped
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 nectarines
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Handful of basil leaves (about 10)
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella
- ⅛ cup pine nuts, toasted
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- In a large bowl, add the chopped kale and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Massage kale leaves until oil is well incorporated. This will wilt the kale a bit. Add the zest of the lemon and lemon juice. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the top and mix well. Keep in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Slice nectarines into wedges and place in a bowl. If you are using a large mozzarella chunk, cut into small cubes. If using small mozzarella balls, add them to the nectarines. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix well. In a small skillet pan, lightly toast pine nuts on medium heat for 1 minute.
- When ready to serve, add the arugula to the kale and mix around until olive oil and lemon dressing has coated everything. To assemble, create a bed with the kale and arugula on a plate. Top with nectarines and mozzarella. Sprinkle basil leaves and toasted pine nuts over the top. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
