I know. I’ve already lost you.
Kids who “love” kale?
But there’s a secret: it’s this dressing. The balsamic vinegar combined with a shot of real maple syrup is so sweet and tangy that the bitterness of kale actually works perfectly with it. It’s the homemade dressing that made our kids love kale.
Still Don’t Believe Me?
I eat a big salad almost every day for lunch. I don’t know if your kids ever ask you for a bite of your food. They don’t right? HA HA HA. With their x-ray vision, your rascals can spot you enjoying a Kind bar in the peace of your own pantry so a tasty salad in plain sight doesn’t stand a chance. At least that’s how it goes around here.
So when Phoebe spied my lunch, she begged for a bite.
Reluctant to share–because I was sure she’d spit it out and waste even a tad of my favorite lunch–I offered her a little taste.
But she didn’t spit it out. She loved it.
Then immediately tried to sell it to everyone else.
“Oh! It’s so good! You guys should try this,” my six-year-old implored. “Really! You’ve got to. Just take one bite. Just try it.”
Suddenly my lunch is up for grabs.
As each tiny person huddled around my chair, I popped a tiny bit of salad into their mouths. One by one, each of these kids smiled. And asked for more. “More salad, please!” These are words I’ve heard separately many times. But together? This was unusual. Hanging up the bath towels instead of leaving them on the floor, unusual.
But now they’re in! To be clear, none of the kids eat a Big Salad. They each have a small portion, but they’re eating salad! Salad made of kale, which might be the most nutritionally dense food in the world.
For real.
But only with this dressing.
Printthe kale salad our kids love (the secret: balsamic-maple dressing)
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- few cracks of pepper
- 4–6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk everything together. The mustard should help it emulsify, coming together as a thick dressing that’s no longer separated. (If you use a jar, you can put the lid on and just shake it.)
- Using a large salad bowl, add the kale and about 1/4 cup of this dressing. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat (about 10 minutes or several hours both work great).
- Serve with the remaining dressing. Add shredded carrots, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, or any other toppings your family enjoys.
- Store any remaining dressing in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
The whole kale salad is especially delicious paired with kid-favorites like this…
Roasted Squash Stuffed with Sausage & Apples
Honey Mustard Chicken
One-Pot Homemade Mac & Cheese
What do you think? Did you like this recipe? Let us know! I’d love all the details too:
- How many kids do you have?
- How easy was this dish to prepare?
- What did the kids say? Thumbs Up, Middle, or Down?
- Would you make it again?
I love kale but unfortunately, it doesn’t love me:(.
Ah, maybe another type of green then. Baby spinach? Good ol’ romaine? I just love a big salad and now I feel like a bit of a pusher with just a touch of success on this one. “Come on! Just try it!” 😉
I work at a little diner in Vermont called Maple City Diner and Maple Balsamic Is our “famous” dressing that everyone loves.
Love that, Megan!
And love Vermont. Just ridiculously gorgeous.
I still haven’t sold my two year old on raw kale/spinach/lettuce… And I’m not really trying to except the occasional taste since she eats plenty of other green veggies and loves to pile the spinach in smoothies, BUT this dressing is a hit in our house! I’ve been making a jar to keep on hand since you posted it and it has been loved by picky in-laws and neighbors. This week I tossed a batch of lentils and chopped beets in a couple tablespoons of it to keep on hand for quick lunch salads with any add -ins I wanted (kale, spinach, almonds, olives, goat cheese, etc….) and the two year old ate three (small) bowls full of the lentil and beet mixture after taking a taste out of my salad. Dressing success!
So, we tried the maple balsamic dressing with kale salad tonight and here is our very real life review:
I put one bite on each plate, as instructed, the kids climbed up to the table, I put water in glasses and turned around to find that Levi had dished his WHOLE plate up with salad! I said that many other kids were trying this, too, I wanted them to take one bite and tell me ‘thumbs up or thumbs down’. Caleb was having a FIT, because he wanted BREAD….NOW. They each took their bite– Caleb crying with a thumbs up, and Levi shoving a fist full into his mouth with a thumbs up. we dished up the rest of the dinner, Caleb still crying. Chris ate his dinner, then I told him he just ate kale. He said, ‘huh, I’m not usually a fan, but the dressing was so good.’ In that time, Levi went to the fridge, drowned his salad in ranch and was dishing up thirds. Caleb was still crying, saying he wasn’t going to eat, but wanted to save the salad. You know me, I love salad. So, four thumbs up. And I will be eating this for my lunch at work tomorrow…in sweet peace.
4 kids here chiming in! So easy to prepare and 18m loved helping me toss the salad! 18m choked some on the kale (because she doesn’t have all the teeth yet) but gives it a thumbs up for flavor! 3 years thumbs up, 4 years thumbs down, 7 years in the middle. I was so happy it gets better if you don’t eat it all (though it’s surprising if you have leftovers). I crave it after only 3 days – yum!!!
Amy, I love this review! So great to hear about the reactions of all 4 kids. It’s such a surprising favorite around here too, and you are totally right. The only salad that actually keeps! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Hmmm sounds good, I will have to try it. My kids are pretty picky about their vegetables, but they actually like salad, and arugula. My 8 year old actually begs me to put lettuce or arugula on his sandwich (total parenting win, and yes I’m bragging lol)
You should try it Amanda! And let us know how it goes.
Plus, anyone who’s got an 8-year-old asking for arugula has earned Bragging Rights x 10. Why not? 😉
I love hearing every one’s success with this dressing! I can’t wait to try this one. I’m curious (as a newer-to-kale eater), how is every one washing and prepping the kale? I’m admittedly a little lazy when it comes to washing, drying, and cutting up fresh leafy greens, especially in bulk (assuming the whole family of 4 is eating it regularly). Can you purchase it pre-washed? Thank you!
Hi Tara! Yes, you can buy it pre-washed sometimes. I typically like to buy a big bag that’s already cut up. I wash it. Then pull off the big stems. That’s the most time consuming. Then it’s ready to go.
Alternatively, you could get baby kale leaves that are smaller and more tender. Those are almost always pre-washed and ready immediately.
The thing I like about the bigger leaves is that they are rougher–so they soak in the dressing a bit. And you can prep it ahead of time–up to 30 minutes or so. Unlike lettuce, those hearty kale leaves actually get BETTER when they wilt just a little.
Let us know how it goes!