Since I enjoy eating lots of vegetables and salads, I am always on a lookout for new veggies. I came across one today at a specialty store and they were so adorable that I had to buy them. They are lollipop kale.
Lollipop kale is a cross between Russian red kale and Brussels sprouts. The leaves taste like kale and the stalks taste like Brussels sprouts. They have a mild flavor and work well with any type of cooking method. The cool purple shade of the lollipop kale was my inspiration to pick other accompanying vegetables that were also a shade of purple.
For this quick and healthy salad, I roasted the purple sweet potato along with the lollipop kale and whole radishes in olive oil, salt and a touch of garlic. I added some raw purple carrots, red cabbage and purple radish. I like to use the purple radish because they are mild in taste. I lightly blanched some purple asparagus to retain their crispness. For the dressing, I pureed some avocado with lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. To thin down the avocado puree, I used some water since avocados are already full of healthy fats.
To finish this salad I sprinkled a mixture of toasted almonds, sesame seeds and chopped fresh thyme. I like the extra crunch and roasted flavor of the nuts and seeds. For a touch of sweetness I added some thin slices of purple grapes. This salad is hearty and with all the purple vegetables, a healthy dose of antioxidants. Happy Eating!