DELICIOUS MASSAGED KALE SALAD WITH RED CABBAGE, APPLES, PECANS & POMEGRANATE MOLASSES DRESSING, À LA NAVA ATLAS

On Monday some old friends from Portland, OR came over to Denman Island for a quick visit and a picnic.  We took a driving tour around the island, stopped at one of the more interesting beaches, and then landed at Fillongley Park, with it's lovely long beach and view of the snow-capped coastal mountains on the mainland, and walk through the old-growth forest to the lovely meadow that was once a homestead.

I brought a picnic lunch to share (our guests brought a watermelon for dessert-- perfect!) and we set everything out on one of the picnic tables near the beach.  I made a vegan traditional-style potato salad (recipe from my first book "The Almost No-Fat Cookbook" and made with my Tofu Mayonnaise):

and my Multi-Grain Inari Sushi (UPDATE: recipe here!)

along with some of my "B of T" (Breast of Tofu or Crispy Marinated Tofu), with Thai Sweet Chile Sauce and lemon wedges. 

For the veggie dish, since we have an abundance of kale in the garden, I made this lovely salad, which everyone really enjoyed (recipe below):

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MASSAGED KALE SALAD WITH RED CABBAGE, APPLES, PECANS AND POMEGRANATE MOLASSES DRESSING, À LA NAVA ATLAS

Serves 6

This is a riff on a recipe in Nava Atlas' wonderful book "Wild About Greens", BTW.  I can't claim it as my recipe-- I just substituted apples for the pears and used my own homemade salad dressing!

10 ounces of kale (weigh after stripping from the stems), washed and spun dry

1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice

1 1/2 cups thinly-sliced red cabbage

2 medium apples (tart-sweet), washed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

about 1/2 cup of Pomegranate Molasses Salad dressing (recipe below), or more to taste

Slice the kale into thin ribbons and place in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with the salt, olive oil and lemon juice.  Rub the mixture through the kale with your fingers.  Keep rubbing the kale until it softens and darkens. Add the other ingredients, including the salad dressing and toss well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

BRYANNA'S POMEGRANATE MOLASSES SALAD DRESSING #2

Yield: about 3/4 cup

Mix together all of the following ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetarian broth
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

Enjoy!