Kale Mandarin Orange and Goat Cheese Salad Recipe
In recent years Kale has become this all powerful super food that we just cannot get enough of. There are many ways to prepare kale, but this kale mandarin orange and goat cheese recipe is one of my favorites. Kale pares nicely with oranges, which add a nice hit of citrus zest to the dish. I honestly just cant get enough. But what is it that makes kale a superfood.
Kale Nutrition
This kale salad is made with the curly kale variety. Kale contains vitamins A, B6, C and K as well as calcium, potassium and manganese. I cup of kale equals roughly 33 calories and is very low in carbs. Kale is nutrient dense, which means it has more nutrients per serving than many other types of this vegetable from the cabbage family. Kale may be eaten raw or cooked, which makes it a flexible vegetable. I obviously enjoy a nice raw kale salad, but I also enjoy kale cooked like this sautéed kale recipe.
Kale & Mandarin Orange Salad with Goat Cheese
A kale with citrusy Mandarin oranges and tangy goat cheese salad
Ingredients
- 1 head fresh kale destemmed, washed and dried
- 6 Mandarin oranges peeled, trimmed and seperated
- 4 oz Goat Cheese crumbled
- 1 tsp fine sea salt more to taste
- 2 tbsp EVOO
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Add kale to a large mixing bowl and tear into bite sized pieces
in a small mixing bowl add 1 tsp sea salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and juice of 1 lemon, mix to combine
Pour the lemon oil mix over the kale and, using your hands, gently massae the kale. This will cause the kale to darken in color and soften in texture, making it more palatable.
Once the kale has softened to your desired degree of doneness, add the orange segments and toss to combine.
Add the goat cheese and additional salt if desired. Word of caution: goat cheese can inpart a taste of saltiness, so taste before adding extra sea salt.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Mandarin Oranges
Mandarin oranges contain about 40 calories and are rich in Vitamin C. They also contain Vitamin A and fiber. They are the perfect little serving for all this nutrition in one tiny little packet. They are portable and make a great snack for adults and children alike. What more can I say? Mandarins are my favorite orange variety.
Goat Cheese
Goat cheese, as the name implies, is derived from goats. Goat cheese is widely considered to be one of the healthier cheeses available. Goat cheese has a different makeup to cheese made from cow’s milk. It is a good source of protein and calcium, which we all need. If you are at all familiar with the recipes on this site, you will know we incorporate goat cheese into many of our recipes, both sweet and savory. Goat cheese is just that flexible.
