Kale and Beet Salad

I have only recently started eating both kale and beets on a regular basis. When I was living just outside of Portland, Oregon beets were surprisingly hard to come by in the produce department, and I found spinach, especially that washed and pre-packaged, to be much more convenient than kale, which often comes straight from the farm to the market. However, since I moved to Port Townsend, both these ingredients have become staple parts of my diet. I have goofed around with this recipe several times, but found this method to deem the best result. I prefer my kale to maintain somewhat of it's raw texture, but if preferred, roughly chop the leaves and bake in foil at 350 degrees for approximately 7 minutes to wilt it slightly. I love feta cheese and sliced almonds to top off this salad, but roasted cashews or walnuts would be wonderful, and goat cheese in lieu of the feta would take away the slight bite. Toss with the dressing just prior to serving.

Ingredients
Salad
Head kale, large vein removed, roughly chopped
5-6 large beets, peeled, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2-3/4 cup sliced almonds (toasted, if preferred)
1/2 red onion, sliced very thinly

Dressing
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
4 ounces red wine vinegar
6 ounces olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Chop the kale and set aside.
Line a baking tray with foil and place the chopped beets on it, covering with another layer of foil, pinching the edges to create a steam pocket. Bake the kale for approximately 40 minutes, until tender.
In a large bowl toss the kale with the baked beets, right out of the oven. The heat and steam from the beets will help wilt the kale slightly. Cover the bowl with foil and set aside for approximately 15 minutes for the kale to wilt further. Prior to serving toss in the red onion, dressing, and top with the red onion and almonds, turning slightly to incorporate.

Serves: 6