As we all know, “Meatless Mondays” are sortof hard for me. And for someone who doesn’t generally like vegetables, Kale Salad seems like even more veg than a normal veggie eater might prefer. So it’s completely awesome and almost unheard of that I found a kale salad which is also a completely veggie-based meal that I like and will actually eat intentionally. This is even better when my Community Supported Agriculture box has local organic kale.
Over a decade ago, a new restaurant called Campo opened in Reno. When Mark Estes first opened Campo, I don’t know that I had ever had Kale. For months everyone raved over this Kale salad on the menu. I wasn’t sure I wanted to try it. But I have to say, the second I did, I knew I’d found something special–and it has stayed a Reno staple all this time.
After I first tried this salad, I decided that since Kale is considered a super food, I should really learn to make this salad at home. And let me tell you: It’s been an uphill battle. The wonderful simplicity of this salad’s flavor is shockingly difficult to replicate.
This recipe is about as close as I’ve ever gotten to replicating the real thing, so until I get the actual recipe from the original chef someday, I’ll share this one with you to tide us all over until we can get the real thing.
- Two Heads of Organic Green Kale
- 10-15 Crumbled up Parmesan Crisps
- 6 Over-easy Eggs
- ½ Cup Lemon Olive Oil
- Juice of whole Lemon
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- Optional Add-ins:
- Pine Nuts
- Dried Cranberries
- Wash, Cut, and Dry Kale.
- Place Parmesan Crisps in small Ziplock bag and smash with wooden spoon.
- Mix all dressing ingredients in bowl or jar.
- Toss Kale, Parmesan, and any Add-ins with Dressing.
- Cook Eggs in fry pan to desired softness. Set aside.
- Put dressed salad in large saute pan over medium-low heat and toss so leaves are warm but not wilted.
- Serve.
Hello Molly,
I love the way your blog is coming along. Salads are one of my favorite foods and kale is one of the main ingredients that I use. I learned eating foods with low-calorie density can help you lose weight because they help you feel full before you have eaten too many calories. Most vegetables are good for weight loss because they are low in calories, and 1 cup of raw kale contains only 33 calories. I will definitely give your recipe a try. I am on my weight loss journey and I love trying new recipes.
Thanks Patsy! I struggle with eating enough veggies. I’m a sugar girl so fruit is usually my jam. But you’re absolutely right that density-rich foods are great for weight loss because you stay fuller on less calories. This is a great recipe for that because even the small amount of cheese and olive oil don’t add huge tons of calories and the egg gives great low-cal protein. I’m so glad to have you here! Sign up for our mailing list and don’t miss a recipe! Not everything is low cal, but everything I do is in an attempt to live a healthy, whole, natural lifestyle. 🙂