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One of my favorite lunches is Sweet Greens here in town. I get a salad several times a week. And although I’ve got a slew of favorites depending on my mood, a recent favorite is a custom creation that is just SOOOOOO good. Anytime you get several servings of vegetables into something you actually want to eat it’s a good thing. But I feel like salads can get a bad wrap as “boring” or in my husband’s case, “not filling enough.” So let’s at least take the boring out of the equation with my homemade take on this green goodness kale ranch salad.

A SECRET INGREDIENT

What makes this one so delicious is the layers of flavor and a crunch factor. And you’re never going to believe the secret ingredient. Pickles! Feels weird right?! Stay with me. Don’t jump ship quite yet.

A GOOD BASE

Start with a really good base. Don’t even think about any of that limp, barely green lettuce. I bought purple curly leaf kale and the lacinato kale. Wash them, pat dry and tear into small pieces. Our bodies need dark greens every single day and working them into a salad or sautéing them into a stir-fry is an easy way to squeeze them in. I find the smaller leaves are more tender, less bitter and if they’re too stiff, work them between your fingers with just a bit of olive oil.

GREEN GOODNESS RANCH DRESSING

Is it ok for a Registered Dietitian to like ranch dressing? Yep. Did I crave it while pregnant with each of my babies? Heck yes I did. For this recipe, I made a homemade ranch dressing and increased its nutritional profile by throwing in a large handful of spinach and pureeing it up. Now don’t be confused, this is not green goddess dressing, which is equally delicious but not the same thing as ranch dressing (I love this recipe here.)  I’ll write my ranch dressing recipe out below but here’s a time saving hack: Use a favorite store-bought ranch dressing and increase the nutritional profile by dumping the bottle into your blender or food processor. Add a handful or two of spinach, don’t be shy and puree it up. More nutrition, same deliciousness.

INGREDIENTS

5-6 stems each of Lacinato Kale and Curly Leaf Kale, washed, stem removed and torn into small pieces

1 C Cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Carrots, shredded

1/4 Red Cabbage, chopped

4-5 Claussen Pickles, chopped (find this brand, it’s the best!!!, in the refrigerated section)

1/4 C Roasted and Salted Sunflower Seeds

1 C Cooked Green Lentils

 

RANCH DRESSING RECIPE

1 C Kite Hill Plain Yogurt (I get this dairy-free brand at Whole Foods, regular whole milk greek yogurt works too, I experimented with mayonnaise and liked it the least)

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Capers

1/3 C Cucumbers, peeled and diced

1/2 tsp Garlic powder

1/2 tsp Onion powder

1/2 tsp Dried onion flakes

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried chives (or 2 fresh stems thrown into the blender)

1/4 tsp sea salt

Large handful baby spinach

 

Put each of these ingredients into a blender (I use my Vitamix) and puree the mixture up. Add a little pickle or caper juice if a tad too thick. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate overnight prior to use for the best flavor.

ADDING MORE GOODNESS

To that delicious base of good-for-you-greens, add your diced cherry tomatoes, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds, chopped pickles and cooked lentils. Drizzle the green goodness ranch dressing over your salad when you’re ready to eat and mix to coat. Add some pickle juice if it needs a bit more moisture. This green goodness kale ranch salad will literally blow your mind. Bring it to a summer picnic or a healthy meal prep option, sans dressing. Don’t put the ranch dressing on until you’re ready to eat it.

Yum. Who would have thought pickles in this kale ranch salad would be so awesome. Give it a try! Scroll down for some delicious healthy recipes for you from this blog hop. All these beautiful images captured by the oh-so-lovely Ruth Eileen Photography.