Pulled Broccoli Salad With Balsamic Dressing

Pulled Broccoli Salad is the brainchild of havng to figure out how to eat healthy with a few ingredients ready at hand. We all are trying to stay and eat healthy despite being in isolation and having to make do with available ingredients.

I had a couple of handfuls of kale, half a carrot, and some broccoli and a few other odds and ends. I was trying to create different ways of making and presenting salads to make them more interesting, delicious and nutritious. On a whim, I thought of just pulling off bits of the broccoli rather than chopping .... and I really liked the way they looked. Long story short, here's the Pulled Broc Salad!

Pulled Broccoli Salad is gluten/dairy free; it has barely much oil - only the few drops to massage the kale. It was really awesome - gorgeousl colors as well as tasty - was gobbled up in record time by a very appreciative family :).

Note: if the almond slices are raw, just heat them in a small pan and stir until lightly browned and toasted. Immediately pour them into a small bowl to prevent burning in the hot pan.

Please do save the Kale stems - they are delicious stir-cooked simply or in thoran like in Radish Greens Thoran. The stems maybe added to soups or stews also.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

Salad

2 medium Stalks Broccoli

1 small Bunch Kale, torn or chopped
a few drops of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for massaging Kale

1 small bunch Arugula, sliced

1/2-1 Carrot, coarsely grated

3-4 Button Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 Orange, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

3-4 Tbsp sliced Almonds, toasted

2-3 Tbsp Sun dried Tomatoes, not in oil

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

2-3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

1 small clove Garlic, finely minced and mashed

1/2 small Shallot, finely minced

1 Tbsp Prepared Mustard

2-3  tsp Maple Syrup or Coconut Sugar (optional)

Method:

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and mix well.Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Steam or microwave the broccoli  until bright green and barely tender; I microwaved them for 90 seconds and let cool. They maybe plunged into iced water if you like to keep the broc super crunchy. I did not put them in iced water and they were quite crunchy.

While broccoli is cooling, strip of the leaves from the stems of kale and chop or tear. Save the stems for thoran or a stir-fry. Place kale in a large bowl and add just a few drops of the oil - about 4-5 - along with a pinch of salt and squeeze them gently and keep turning them with your fingers for a about half a minute until all the leaves are shiny and softened.

Add all the other salad ingredients except the orange segments and almonds to the bowl.

When broccoli is cool, pull the florets into small bits and add to bowl. Cut the stems into small bits and add them to the bowl also.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad along with any juice collected from the orange. Mix well and divide among bowls.

Top with orange pieces and the toasted almonds.

Enjoy!!