Shredded Kale/Spinach Salad with Nutty "Parmesan"

 This healthy salad is bursting with flavor! This is a vegan salad I had during Thanksgiving dinner at the Forster's. I am not a vegan but I love the flavors of this salad. The secret to this amazing salad
is a new ingredient that I am going to use more of in my cooking- nutritional yeast. I couldn't find it at Publix or Fresh Market, but was able to order it through Amazon Prime. I'm sure it is easy to find in health food stores or at Whole Foods. It adds amazing flavor. The topping on this salad is referred to as vegan parmesan cheese. Even though there is no cheese in the ingredients, it has that nutty and savory taste of parmesan cheese. Besides being sprinkled on the salad, I think it would make a great topping for vegetable side dishes.

Shredded Kale/Spinach Salad with Nutty Parmesan

Salad Ingredients
3 cups finely chopped kale with stems and ribbing removed (I prefer baby kale or medium size leaves)
3 cups of finely chopped baby spinach
1 lemon
3 T olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries (add more if you wish)

1. Wash the kale and spinach and dry in a spinner. Chop into shreds (make sure they are dry) and put into a large bowl. Add the dried cranberries or cherries.
2. Zest half the skin of the lemon and squeeze out all the juice so you have 1/4 cup of juice.
3. Put the lemon juice in a small food processor and add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and zest.
4. Chop the two large garlic cloves and add to the lemon juice mixture. Process until all ingredients are combined into a smooth salad dressing.
5. Pour the salad dressing into the kale/spinach and cranberry mixture and stir thoroughly so that all ingredients are covered with the dressing.
6. After you make the nutty parmesan, pour this over the salad as a toppping.


Nutty Parmesan Topping Ingredients
1 cup of pecan halves
1.5 T nutritional yeast
1 T olive oil
1/8 tsp of salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 12 minutes.
3. Place cooled, toasted pecan in a food processor and process so the pecans are the size of small peas.
4. Add in yeast, salt, and olive oil and process into coarse crumbs.
5. Sprinkle the nutty parmesan over the top of the salad and serve.