a visit to maine with a massaged kale salad

packed up the kids and headed to maine for the week of the fourth of july. we love it up there. to say the beach is peaceful is an extreme understatement. it's a private beach so no hoards of people. and it's in a bay so no giant waves. i can sit and relax since i don't have to worry about the kids getting lost or being knocked over by a rogue wave. ah....maine.

pristine!

the only drawback is dealing with food. the fridge is stocked but by my mom. she is not a vegan. and my sisters, their husbands, all the kids, they are not vegans either. so me being the only vegan, planning and prep is required.

these dunes are magical!

this time i brought my blender along with frozen fruits and spinach. that took care of my breakfasts. but for lunch and dinner i need salad! i knew there would be no room for all my veggies so i made a salad ahead of time. i managed to make the perfect pack-away salad!

this salad involves kale. i love kale! with all the vitamins and minerals inside those lovely leaves who wouldn't? it's also known to have anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties! bring on the kale!

me and my salad :)

i made this salad on a monday and it was still good on wednesday. i enjoyed it in maine on the deck while we waited for the sun to come out. when it finally came out it was hot and lovely. perfect weather for a dip in the cold gulf of maine waters.

massaged kale salad

• 1 bunch of kale either green or purple
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 avocado cubed
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1/2 red onion sliced thin
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1. de-stem the kale. rinse well and spin dry in a salad spinner.
2. add kale, olive oil and salt to a salad bowl. using your hands, tear into bite size pieces and massage. continue to massage for 15 minutes. the kale will wilt down considerably.
3. add the avocado, bell pepper, onion, and pumpkin seeds. toss and serve. you can serve with a bit of balsamic vinegar if desired.