Gateway Kale Salad

...There's a lot of green in that bowl, I know, but trust me on this one. If you're one of those people (like me) who never thought they would get excited about a giant bowl of kale, this salad is for you!! I call it the Gateway Kale Salad, because it will make you love the stuff! You're welcome.

Let's get to it!

Here's what you'll need for 4 small side salads, or 2 hearty ones!

• 1 head of California Kale (the bright green, really curly kind)
• 1 inch cut of Pancetta
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup of Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Start with the Pancetta: Cut it up into little bite sized cubes...

Toss it into a little skillet and cook it up! I like mine extra crunchy, but i'll leave that up to you.

While the pancetta cooks, get started on the kale. Rip the leaves off the stalks and then tear them into small pieces...

Next, toss in your olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar...

Now comes the MOST IMPORTANT step: Toss the kale so all the liquid is distributed and massage it all for 6 minutes. Like seriously, set a timer, get your hands in there and SQUEEZE!!

The massage is super important because it turns the tough leaves into tender little things perfect for salad! After the 6 minutes, transfer to your serving bowl, draining and squeezing out the excess liquid as you go. You should notice that it's wilted quite a bit...

Mince up the garlic cloves as finely as possible and toss them in. I use a garlic press for this. Then throw in the parm and cooked pancetta and serve! Taste for salt and pepper ( I also added red chili flakes for some heat).

Do yourself a huge favor and make this salad. It's quick, easy, healthy and SO YUMMY! I wish I could take credit for this baby's existence, but a bestie's boyfriend is where it came from and yes, he most def used it to woo her - THAT'S how good it is!!

xo, 

The Ging Twins