Are you tired of hearing about the “raw food” trend? Maybe you’ve never heard of it, and you’re thinking, “raw…kale…salad?! that can’t be right…”. No doubt about it, I’d say the South is probably the last region in the USA to embrace health food trends.

Who can blame us, though? Especially when it comes to a green that’s typically cooked with a ham hock for 3 hours (a la collard greens) ? The thought of eating it…raw…seems so very foreign. Truth is, once you take the leaves away from the tough stem, they are actually very flavorful all on their own. Baby kale is becoming as widely used in salad greens as baby spinach. Bottom line: kale rocks. I have it growing in my yard, and I use it in almost everything! (Kale chips are fab…another post for another day…)

So, before we jump right into the salad, I have to mention this olive oil. I found it at Costco and it is top-notch. It’s unfiltered, first cold press (basically the best-of-the-best in the olive oil world), and it was cheap! Like I think $8 for this bottle. Highly recommend good olive oil when you’re eating it raw.

My latest Costco find…

Ok, step 1. Remove the tough stems from the kale, and chop it into thin ribbons.

Chop it into ribbons…easier to eat, and looks pretty

Step 2. Gather your additional ingredients, and mince your garlic

The three stars of the show…

I mince up my garlic to about this consistency…

Step 3. Combine the garlic and kale, squeeze lemon on top, add olive oil.

Once the garlic is in, squeeze enough lemon to coat all the leaves and add about 1 tbsp. olive oil

Step 4. Add the Seasonings, toss, and enjoy!

Next, add freshly ground black pepper, chili powder, and salt

Mix it all up and enjoy. You can make this about 1 hour ahead of time. Great accompaniment to BBQ Chicken (instead of cole slaw), or great on its own…it was my breakfast this morning!

P.S. This is about as good as it gets when it comes to “clean food” or detox food. SO flipping healthy.

Raw Kale Salad 

– 1 Bunch Kale, tough stems discarded and leaves chopped

– 3 garlic cloves, minced

– 1 lemon, juiced

–  2 tbsp. olive oil

– salt, pepper and chili powder (1 tsp. each)