Did you know that about 90 percent of Delawareans do not meet the daily recommendation for vegetable consumption? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 2 to 3 cups of vegetables daily and 1.5 cups of dark green vegetables each week.

How can we do that? One easy way is with salads! Many salad greens are considered dark green vegetables, including romaine lettuce, spinach, and kale. There is a good reason you have likely heard a lot about kale in recent years. Kale is low in calories, rich in nutrients like Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and fiber, and can be eaten in a variety of ways. 

Kale can be cooked into stews, sauteed with olive oil as a tasty side dish, and used raw in salads. While we tend to think of salad as a light summer dish, many greens are the perfect base for hearty winter toppings. Raw kale stays firm after adding the dressing, making it an excellent salad base. Like coleslaw, many find that kale in salads tastes even better the next day. Those who have tried raw kale may have felt that it was bitter and even a bit dry. "Massaging" the kale can fix this. 

Before massaging, ensure the kale is thoroughly cleaned and dried. To massage the kale, first use washed hands to remove the leaf from the middle stem, also known as destemming. While edible, the stem can be tough when raw, so many prefer it without. Use either salt, olive oil, or your favorite salad dressing and rub the destemmed kale between your thumb and fingers. To prepare your salad base quickly, destem all the kale you plan to eat and place it in a large bowl. Add your desired amount of olive oil, dressing, or salt, and massage several pieces of kale at once using both hands.

Remember, olive oil and salad dressing can add a lot of calories, so pay attention to how much you add. If watching your sodium intake, you may want to limit the salt used to massage your kale or use olive oil or dressing instead.

As you massage, the kale will become a darker green and a softer texture. If the kale begins to fall apart, you have massaged it too long. Once the kale has reached your desired texture, add the rest of your ingredients and dig in. Chickpeas, beets, walnuts, and goat cheese are my favorite winter salad toppings, but you can add whatever you choose.

Most importantly, have fun making your kale salad, and enjoy!