It seemed appropriate to add this crunch salad recipe -- Waldorf salad's more elegant and refined mayo free cousin -- now, as we rapidly approach the season of overindulgence.
The salad doesn't seem like much on paper but, if you pay attention to texture, preferably by using a mandoline and shaving the apple and celery wafer thin, this is incredibly satisfying as a full meal when you are craving a salad following a few days of celebrating or holiday eating.
1 crunchy organic apple (I used a Honeycrisp)
1 stalk of celery
3 leaves lacinato kale
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup walnut pieces
2 tsps olive oil
Juice from one lemon
Salt to taste
Wash and prepare the vegetables. Core the apple, slice it on a mandoline and then cut each round into strips. Peel the celery stalk with a vegetable peeler and slice it on the mandoline as well. Remove the stems from the kale and discard them, slice the leaves as thinly as possible.
Mix the oil with the juice of half of lemon and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more lemon juice, if needed. I used the whole lemon, you may like your dressing less acidic.
Toss the celery, apple and kale in the dressing. Add your halved avocado, diced, and your walnuts to the salad and toss again.
Enjoy while feeling virtuous.