Kale Salad with Avocado, Apricots & Almonds

I claim that I am not a picky eater, which I still hold as true, but I often fall victim to the work-lunch-funk.  I seem to instantly transform into the world’s choosiest (that doesn’t sound quite as harsh as picky) eater the minute it is time to decide on lunch for the upcoming week work week.  I don’t really like frozen meals or just-add-water soup, I don’t love sandwiches, and it is too hot for my standard winter soups and beans!  Needless to say, I am always on the lookout for fun and easy lunch ideas!  I saw this recipe on The Kitchn a few days ago and was intrigued.  Although this is not the summer-iest of this season’s salads, it is delicious, filling, and holds up well as a work lunch!

Kale Salad with Avocado, Apricots & Almonds:
Adapted from The Kitchn

Ingredients (alter the amounts to your taste):
Kale (however much you like for a lunch-sized portion)
6-8 dried apricots coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cooked pinto beans
1/4 cup chopped coarsely almonds
8 shavings of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 avocado
salt and pepper

PREP:
Wash the kale and rip into bite sized pieces, removing the tough stems.

Coarsly chop the dried apricots and almonds, and use a vegetable peeler to shave off the desired amount of Parmesan cheese.

Place the Kale in a large bowl, and top with: apricots, beans, almonds, and Paremsan cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat.

Top the salad with the avocado, cut into chunks, and season with salt and pepper.

I do have one of those nifty containers for taking salads to work, which keeps the dressing separate from the salad.  The night before work, I prepared the salad as listed above, but did not dress the salad or top with avocado.  I placed 1/2 of an avocado in the salad container, to cut just prior to eating, and I prepared the dressing in the special dressing-compartment, preparing to dress the salad right before lunch.

Confession of a *wannabe* foodie: I had no idea that you could… or might want to… eat raw kale!