I know what a lot of you may be thinking…
Kaaale naw.
And believe me when I say, I understand.
Raw kale is not the yummiest of edible substances.
Some may argue it’s hardly edible.
However.
If you really massage the living daylights out of it, aka squeeze and smack it into submission, the kale will turn tender, serving as a perfect vehicle for hearty dressings and toppings.
So this is a semi-homemade recipe, since I did utilize bottled dressing and sauce. (Sue me.)
But no one is stopping you from whipping up your own…
Besides maybe Miss Time and Mr. Patience, of course.
Anyway.
For this uber flavorful, satisfying salad, all you have to do is toss tenderized kale with grated sweet carrots, juicy tomato, creamy vegan blue cheese dressing, cubed avocado, toasted almond slices, and tempeh strips coated in BBQ sauce!
Don’t forget the freshly cracked black pepper now.
P.S. Dino kale is the superior kale, in my not-so-humble opinion.
P.P.S. I am a light dressing and saucer, so please add more if you like!
P.P.P.S. I would suggest consuming this salad shortly after preparing it, however kale won’t start to mush quite as quickly as mixed greens, for instance.
Vegan Blue Cheese Kale Salad with BBQ Tempeh
Ingredients
- 4 cups dino kale, thick stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1/3 cup grated carrot
- 1/3 cup quartered cherry tomatoes (or chopped vine tomato)
- 1 heaping tablespoon vegan blue cheese dressing (I use Follow Your Heart), or to taste
- 1/2 small avocado, cubed
- 2 tablespoons toasted almond slices
- Black pepper, to taste
- 3 ounces tempeh, sliced into strips
- Olive oil or avocado oil (optional) for cooking tempeh
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegan BBQ sauce (I like Trader Joe's Organic Kansas Style or Stubbs), or to taste
Instructions
- Place the kale in a medium-large bowl, then massage and squeeze to tenderize the leaves. It will start to shrink down and darken in color.
- Add the carrots, tomato, and dressing to the kale, then toss until evenly coated.
- Gently fold in the avocado and almonds, adding more dressing to taste.
- Meanwhile heat a medium sized nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add enough oil to lightly coat the pan (if using) then add the tempeh in a single layer.
- Cook the tempeh for a couple minutes on each side, or until hot and lightly golden brown.
- Remove the tempeh from heat, then stir in enough BBQ sauce to evenly coat.
- Add the tempeh to the salad, then season with black pepper.