The deep green color of curly leaf kale is such a treat to the eyes when you are eating this salad from our Cal-a-Vie Health Spa cookbook, Beautiful Living. We always say that color equals vitamins and minerals and this is certainly no exception. Persian cucumbers are small, sweet and essentially seedless. We love to eat them in salads right out of our gardens.

Kale Salad with Persian Cucumbers, Salted Pepitas, & Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 12

Salted Pepitas:

• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a small sauté pan, add the water and salt. Bring to a boil and toss in the pepitas. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Bake for 7 minutes or until toasted. Remove and let cool. Set aside.

Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 ½ tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients together to fully incorporate them. Set aside.

Salad Assembly:

• 12 cups curly leaf kale, stems discarded, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups Persian cucumbers, sliced
• 3 apples, thinly sliced (we recommend Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)
• ¾ cup Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
• ¾ cup Salted Pepitas
• ¾ cup Manchego cheese, shredded on a microplane

In a large bowl, toss the kale, cucumbers, and apples with the Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette. Garnish the top with the Salted Pepitas and shredded Manchego cheese.

For more healthy recipes like this one, purchase a copy of our Beautiful Living cookbook.