COMMEMORATIVE KALE SALAD

GLM & MPB

We imagine some of you are going to use this book as a time capsule. It will be the way you remember your youth in years to come. Well, if you’re reading this to your great-great-great-grandchildren, postdefrosting after being cryogenically frozen, then we think you must explain to them what kale meant in the 2000s. Kale meant so much to so many people. It meant a new vegetable to some, hope to others. It started off small and then it was everywhere. It was a way of life and love. It was almost as important as brussels sprouts and bacon. Please tell your great-great-great-grandkids about brussels sprouts and bacon as well.

We certainly couldn’t write an eating clean chapter without a salad, and we felt that salad had to be kale. This is a book for millennials (and millennials at heart) and kale has been our touchstone vegetable. Frankly, if we were to walk into a restaurant today that didn’t have kale on the menu, we would run out screaming and report the place to the FDA. Even if kale’s moment is over by the time this book comes out, then we commemorate it here. We hope your great-great-great-grandchildren like it as much as we have. Also, what’s the vegetable in the current time? Please leave a note with each of our closest descendants to let us know. We’ll probably still be frozen; neither of us is getting defrosted until at least 5022. Thanks so much.

SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

A few drops honey (or stevia, if you’re into that kind of thing)

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups kale leaves, destemmed and sliced thin (about 1 medium bunch of kale)

½ cup shredded carrot (yes, you can totally buy it pre-shredded)

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup sliced cucumber (we never bother peeling them)

Sliced cooked chicken breast (see here) or tofu (see here) (optional)

Pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Heat a dry medium-size frying pan over medium-high heat.

• Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer in the frying pan and let toast for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pan around a few times to be sure they get toasted as evenly as possible. Remove from heat and set aside.

• Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey or stevia, and salt.

• Put the kale in a large bowl and pour two-thirds of the vinegar dressing over them. Use your hands to toss (trust us, it’s better than using tongs).

• Add the remaining vegetables to the kale mixture and toss with the remaining dressing to coat well.

• Transfer the salad to a serving bowl, if desired (or just leave it in the bowl you mixed in), and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds, chicken or tofu if using, and pepper to taste.

• Serve immediately.