Maui Kale Salad
MAKES 4 TO 6 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS
My first long flight after being diagnosed with vestibular migraine was to Maui, about a year after my symptoms began. I was not only terrified of the flight triggering symptoms I was barely managing, I was also just a few months into the Heal Your Headache diet. I remember packing Seed Butter Energy Balls (page 131) and a kale salad for the flight since I knew the airplane food would not be migraine friendly. It wasn’t the vacation dreams are made of, but we used miles to go back the next year and make all new memories. On my second trip, I survived a boat ride to do a sunrise snorkel and was proud of myself for taking a chance. Just two years before I felt like I was on a boat, and here I was on a boat… and enjoying it. This recipe is an ode to our Maui trips where I conquered many fears—and ate a lot of great kale salads. I love to switch out the cheese sometimes with fresh goat cheese (chèvre). If you want to skip all the greens prep, substitute the kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts with one 10-ounce bag of Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch Salad Mix.
1⁄3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur) kale
½ head each purple and green cabbage, or 3 cups pre-shredded purple and green cabbage mix
½ pound Brussels sprouts or 1 (8-ounce) package pre-shredded Brussels sprouts
1 green apple, sliced or chopped
½ cup chopped English cucumber
1⁄3 cup shredded good-quality white American cheese or crumbled fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
Honey Mustard Dressing (page 68)
½ cup dried cranberries (sulfite-free) or fresh pomegranate seeds
To toast the sunflower seeds, place them in a dry pan over medium-low heat. Toast them, tossing around every so often until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
If you’re not using pre-packaged mixes, wash the kale, cabbage, and sprouts and spin them dry. Remove the thick rib from each kale leaf, then stack the leaves and slice thinly. Remove the cores from the cabbage and thinly slice or shred on a mandoline. Remove the stems from the Brussels sprouts and thinly slice or shred on a mandoline.
Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add the apple, cucumber, and cheese, then toss with the dressing, using just enough for an even coating. Sprinkle with dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds and serve.
