the post salad 🌄🪄🫘🫒✨😋
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
My husband and I moved up to the little town of Kirkland, WA, just outside of Seattle, during the pandemic. Aside from the magical summers, the gem of gems was the ease of drivable access to The Posthotel in Leavenworth, aka my infinite-Christmas-land, Beauty and the Beast, organic-luxe-fairytale-dream hotel. The Post is an adults only, all-inclusive Alps-inspired spa and hotel, nestled away in a Bavarian mountain town of Washington state, featuring a fabulously clean menu of a European multi-course faire. Ever since leaving, I’ve been craving this seemingly simple, but epically delicious kale salad from their lunch rotation. As I’ve discovered, this is also known as the “Just-Keeps-Getting-Better” Lentil Salad from Bon Appétit…who served it first? It really doesn’t matter because it really does just keep getting better, whether you’re on a vacay or at home.
INGREDIENTS
1 large bunch Tuscan kale (about 10 oz.)
1 1/2 c black beluga or French green lentils
Pink Himalayan salt to taste
1/2 c raw almonds
3 organic scallions
4 cloves of organic garlic
1 Meyer lemon
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp organic crushed red pepper flakes
5 oz organic feta
1 c refrigerated Castelvetrano olives
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash kale, de-stem, rip into large pieces and dry.
2. Cook lentils in boiling salted water until al dente, approx. 20 - 25 minutes — be careful to not overcook, we don’t want then mushy in the salad.
3. Roughly chop almonds and 2 scallions, smash, peel and roughly chop garlic cloves, remove 3 strips of lemon peel (avoiding white pith) and slice thinly. Sauté in 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Remove heat and stir in 1 tbsp of cumin seeds and 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes.
4. Strain the almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Reserve oil for the base of salad dressing. Spread almond mixture on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet. Season with salt and let cool. The nuts will get crunchier as they sit.
5. Massage kale in a bowl with a little lemon juice and salt.
6. Crumble feta into bowl with kale. Tear olives into large pieces and add to bowl. Thinly slice remaining scallions and add most to bowl, reserving the rest of serving. Add juice of lemon and salt.
7. Drain lentils well, shaking to get rid of excess moisture and add to bowl with kale. Season with salt. Add oil and half of nuts, toss to combine.
8. Divide salad among bowls. Garnish with remaining nuts and scallion greens.
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
MASSAGING KALE
Getting personal with your kale and really massaging it for a solid minute or two before consuming helps tenderize it and unlock the kale’s nutrient powerhouse punch! It helps break down some of the tough fibrous characteristics that not only make it hard for some to palate, but also hard for our stomaches to digest otherwise.
KALE
So you may wonder what makes kale so special after all? Kale is rich in fiber, antioxidants, calcium, iron, and a wide range of other nutrients that can help prevent a multitude of health problems. As a reminder, we want to consume the most nutrient and antioxidant dense foods because they help the body remove unwanted toxins. Kale is the leader in this space so it’s no wonder its developed such a cult following! With values of vitamins A, K and C completely off the charts, Kale also includes manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium and B vitamins. Stacked with various flavonoids and polyphenols, including quercetin and kaempferol, touting powerful anti-cancer effects, as well as heart and blood pressure protection, in addition to being anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-depressant. Plus kale contains many minerals that most people don’t get enough of and has been seen to lower cholesterol levels, as well as reduce the risk of heart disease — to just name a few of the stellar health benefits.
LENTILS
Rich in protective plant compounds called polyphenols, lentils can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases due to their high antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. They are also cardio-protective, rich in fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium and calcium, supporting heart and bone health, as well as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They are also a source of energizing iron and vitamin B1, which helps maintain a steady heartbeat. Plus, they’re high in protein (with essential and non-essential amino acids + touting a whopping 18 grams for 1 cup!) for all of us non-big meat eaters. Bonus, they come in a true rainbow of colors, from yellow to green to red to orange to black to brown, so you really can’t get tired of cooking with them. They’re super versatile, inexpensive and shelf-stable. How could anyone not LOVE lentils?!
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
