Sometimes I want an award just for being an adult.
I’d like a little trophy with my adult accomplishment engraved… actually I’ll totally just settle for a sticker. Being an adult is hard. No seriously… it’s hard. I’m not just being a whiner. I just think that if I could be occasionally high-fived for all of life’s little tasks, I’d feel better about everything. Just a small gesture, something that says:
Hey Joy, great job printing out and organizing all of your credit card statements. It’s not even tax time yet. Right on!
1st place for paying their phone bill not two months late goes to Joy the Baker.
You didn’t eat the entire pack of flour tortillas even though you wanted to. Well done!
You dusted! You’re a superstar!
Your socks match, and they’re clean. Well played.
Look at you payin’ rent like a boss.
Congratulations! You can aaaaalllllmost afford your own health insurance.
You drove a car across town without crashing it into another car… and your oil change light isn’t even on!
1st place in home decor goes to Joy the Baker for her bottle of bourbon and scented candle!
Great Job! You didn’t have stale corn chips and salsa for dinner. You made a kale salad. You’re so good at life!
Welcome to the land of kale and adulthood.
This recipe is big and green. It feels simple with leafy kale and a simple vinaigrette, but also feels indulgent with dried cherries and roasted cashews.
This recipe is from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. It’s a win.
This is a simple chop, whisk, and toss endeavor.
Chop up the radishes. Whisk together the mustard, olive oil, and vinegar. Toss it all together.
Oh! I forgot the sprinkle… totally the best part. Sprinkle cherries, cashews, and goat cheese. Lastly, go nuts with the salt and pepper.
Kale Cherry and Cashew Salad
makes 4 small or 2 large servings
adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
for the salad:
8 ounces (I used about 8 heaping cups) purple kale (or cavalo nero)
4 ounces (about 4 medium-large) radishes
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup roasted and salted cashews, coarsely chopped
2 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled and crumbled
salt and pepper for topping
for the dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine (or apple cider) vinegar
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
salt and pepper to taste
Wash kale and allow it to dry by spreading it out on a paper towel. Gently tear the kale leaves away from the fibrous stalk. Tear kale into bite sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Thinly slice radishes and add to the bowl. Add the dried cherries, salted cashews, and goat cheese crumbles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Alternately, if you grocery store has a salad bar, you can buy clean, pre-chopped kale on the go.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. Whisk until smooth and the oil is well incorporated into the mixture. Alternately, you can use a small mason jar with a lid to shake the ingredients together. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss together insuring that all of leaves are coated in dressing. The salad is delicious to eat immediately, but is even better after its rested for 20 minutes, allowing the leaves to become tender.
Annette
I just made this recipe for my baby shower, and everyone could not stop talking about how much they loved it! Thank you so much for the recipe and inspiration. It was a hit! I will definitely make it again.
Annaliese
Made this last night, and it was a fabulous combination!