Gotta Get Those Leafy Greens (then massage them)! - Kale Salad

Kale is a fantastic green, but it took me a while to figure out how to cook it, besides maybe throwing it in some soup or making kale chips (which I still definitely continue to do).  But it's perhaps only been in the last year that I started expanding my kale recipe repertoire.

In the last year, though, I have learned a few things, one of them being that I don't like having to chop wet greens of any type.  Unfortunately, there aren't many recipes that call for an entire leaf of kale or other green, nor do many call for dirty greens.  So I guess I'll have to get over that one. Another thing I learned is that I prefer raw kale in a salad, but only if it has been massaged.  Yes, I said massaged.  Kale is a tough leaf, but just like anyone, it relaxes after a good massage.  This makes it more manageable to eat because it breaks down some of that toughness (almost so that it seems as if it's been blanched or steamed), but keeps all those glorious flavors and nutrients it has for us.
One of Kevin's favorite recipes - and mine, for which a large portion is due to the fact that it is so.damn.easy - is a simple raw kale salad.  It can go with a vast majority of main dishes, but definitely provides good flavor, and again, is great for you. I came up with this after eating the kale dish at Whole Foods, but did not want to steam the kale.  After looking online for a good hour or so and comparing other people's recipes and ideas, I went for straightforward and simple, with a massage.

Kale Salad with Sesame and Tamari

1 bunch kale, destemmed and chopped (this may look like alot, but it'll relax after it's massage)
3Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted
red pepper flakes, to taste

Wash and pat-dry the kale, then de-stem and chop into bite sized pieces, put into a large bowl and set aside.   In a small bowl, whisk the oil, tamari, ginger, and garlic together.  Pour over the kale, and proceed to massage the kale.  You do this by basically kneading the leaves in the bowl with your hands, covering each piece with the dressing and rubbing it into the leaves.

Put the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, until you can smell the toastiness. Remove from the heat, and add to the kale salad.  Sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the salad and mix again.

I like to let the salad marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before eating. That way all the flavors come together.
Enjoi!