The side dishes in the 21-day meal plan are merely suggested pairings for main course entrees but you can mix or match these to your own liking, as you wish!
By massaging a little lemon or lime juice into kale leaves, you can soften them a bit and make them even tastier! It doesn’t take much more to turn them into a great side salad that can go with just about any cut of protein off the grill or out of the oven. If you ever make this for a potluck, you’ll always be asked to bring it!
1/4 cup chopped pecans or pine nuts
8 ounces baby kale leaves or chopped large kale leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large Globe tomato, diced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil
1. Set a dry medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pecans, toast, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and aromatic. Pour into a large bowl to cool while you prepare the salad.
2. Place the kale in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. With clean, dry hands, gently massage the juice and seasonings into the kale leaves to help break them down a bit, about 30 seconds for the baby leaves or up to 2 minutes for the larger leaves. Add the toasted nuts, tomato, and oil. Toss well to serve.
Reduce the olive oil to 1 tablespoon. Mash a small, pitted, peeled Hass avocado into the oil to create a creamy dressing.