Kale-Carrot Salad

This tasty salad is a great way to eat your veggies.  I love using kale in salads, but it needs a little bit of special treatment in order to be tasty raw.  I combine finely chopped kale with salt, lemon juice, and oil, and mash it between my fingers for a couple of minutes until it begins to wilt.  Then I let it chill out for a bit while I prep the rest of the meal, and then add some finishing touches - in this case, shredded carrots and toasted pine nuts.  A cumin-honey dressing adds some smoky sweetness.  This makes a great side dish for pretty much any meal - you could play around with the spices to pair it with different cuisines.  And, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, so it's a great make-ahead side or a delicious green option to take for lunch.

Kale-Carrot Salad
Serves 4

1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt
1 tsp honey
1 tsp ground cumin
4 small carrots, peeled and grated
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1. Place the chopped kale in a salad bowl.  Slice the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice of half the lemon over the kale (reserve the rest of the lemon for later in the recipe).  Drizzle on a bit of olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt over the greens.  Massage the greens with your hands for a couple of minutes, until they are nicely wilted.  Stash in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the salad/meal.
2. In a small jar, combine the juice of the other half of the lemon along with about 1/4 cup olive oil, a pinch of salt, the honey, and the cumin.  Screw on the lid tightly and shake well to combine.
3. Take out the bowl of kale and add the dressing, carrots, and pine nuts.  Toss to combine.