A lot of people aren’t super stoked on leafy greens because of the stomach distress that sometimes comes after eating them. This salad is delightfully nourishing, and gives you all the benefits of kale, without the digestive distress.

When you massage kale you break down some of the tough fibers in the cell wall that make raw kale hard to digest.

When I started eating healthy I had to slowly ramp up my intake of leafy greens or my stomach would be in knots later. It took me a while to get on the kale bandwagon. If this happens to you the solution is to either steam your kale or massage it. This recipe is one of my favorites because you still get all the amazing benefits of raw kale: the enzymes, magnesium, vitamin C and more.

Massaging nourishing oil and lemon juice into the kale also helps make the nutrients more bioavailable and easier to assimilate. Plus, it tastes delicious and can be paired with grilled chicken or fish for a classic healthy meal.

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, chopped

1 large lemon, juiced

1 large garlic clove, minced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup thinly sliced fennel

¼ cup pine nuts

Directions

Add kale to a large mixing bowl along with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Using clean, bare hands, massage the kale until it is wilted (about 2 to 3 minutes).

Once the kale is ready, top your salad with carrots, celery, fennel, and pine nuts. No extra dressing is needed.

If kale is something that’s hard to digest for you, there might be a deeper issue that needs to be addressed. If you want to be able to eat whatever you want and have no digestive issues, you need to check out my digestive flow program. These principles have truly transformed my life as well as countless others.

Check out my new comprehensive program Foundations of True Balance, details here.

Or join me on my Facebook page where I’ll be sharing more information, tips and recipes to help you live a happier, healthier life.

To your wellness,

Lara May, PharmD BCPS