This calcium rich salad changed my husband's mind about kale salads. The key was cutting the kale into small pieces, massaging it, and then adding a variety of color, texture, and tastes to the salad.
There are multiple good calcium plant sources in this salad including kale, butternut squash, dried figs, tahini, orange juice, and almonds. Feta is a good source but can be omitted if you avoid dairy.
1 cup kale = 53 mg calcium (Ca⁺⁺) ½ cup butternut squash = 42 mg Ca⁺⁺ 2 dried figs = 65 mg Ca⁺⁺ ½ tbsp tahini = 32 mg Ca⁺⁺ ⅓ cup orange juice (fortified) = 106 mg Ca⁺⁺
½ oz almonds = 37 mg Ca⁺⁺
½ oz feta = 70 mg Ca⁺⁺
Kale is hearty and does not wilt quickly. The ingredients including the kale can be prepared the day before. Toss everything together including the dressing about an hour before serving. Serve as a side or main salad.
Protein ideas: to keep the salad plant-based marinate white beans in the dressing for at least an hour so the beans can absorb the flavor. Double the dressing recipe if using it as a marinade.
The salad would go well with salmon, which is a dietary source of vitamin D and calcium.
Sometimes, ok often, I swap ingredients. In this salad I've replaced:
butternut squash with roasted sweet potatoes
toasted almonds with toasted pepitas
feta with blue cheese
pomegranates with diced fresh apples
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