This recipe was inspired by a salad my aunt brought to our family Christmas Dinner. Hers was made of shredded kale and brussels sprouts. In particular, the dressing was amazing! And guess what? It was from Costco. I wanted to come up with a similar dressing, but a bit healthier in terms of the cream and sweetness.
New salad dressings for me are hard to come by. I’m pretty tied to my favorite salad dressings (like this Balsamic and Peanut Dressing), and am picky when it comes to trying new ones. But this dressing? Seriously delicious, and totally different.
Sweet Apple & Greens Salad
Collard greens, when shredded, are the perfect base for this salad. Add in a crunch and some sweetness, and salad, despite only being 4 ingredients, will impress.
Serves 4-6
- 8 cups shredded collard greens (one bunch collards, shredded)
- 1 apple, julienned
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- poppy seed dressing (recipe below)
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
- 1/4 cup mayonaisse
- 3/4 cup low fat plain yogurt (6 ounce cup)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- scant 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Collard Greens
Mark my words– collard greens are going to become the new kale soon. Collards have a similar tough and bitter raw taste like kale, but significantly more mild. They cook more quickly and it’s easier to soften the bitter/raw taste than kale.
Like kale, collards are full of nutrients. I could go on and on, but to put in simply: 1 cup chopped raw kale is 11 calories, with 48% of your DV for Vitamin A, 21% for Vitamin C, 5% calcium, and 230% of vitamin K.
Make dressing first by combining all ingredients in a small bowl or cup and whisking well.
Place collards in a large bowl. Pour dressing over collards and rub creamy dressing into the collards, massaging the collards a bit to break them down (for about a minute). Add in apple, sliced almonds, and cranberries/raisins. Serve immediately.
Want this salad for the week? Make the salad dressing over the weekend and chop the greens and apples. To prevent the apples from browning, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over them.
