Non-Repetitive Kale Salads

As a defiant response to Sad Desk Lunches, the Food52 team works to keep our midday meals both interesting and pretty. Each week, in partnership with Earthbound Farm, we'll be sharing our happiest desk lunches -- and we want to see yours, too.

Today: Repetition isn't always boring. Food52's Assistant Editor Marian Bull explains how to eat a kale salad every day while keeping the lunchtime magic alive.

Amanda likes to tease our editorial team because our communal lunches have become a bit predictable: we make kale salads almost every day. Sometimes we slice our kale into ribbons, sometimes we tear it into oblong, irregular pieces (I strongly prefer the latter). Some days we massage it; some days we're lazy and we don't. 

More: Want some more kale salad inspiration? Get started with these 8 recipes.

These kale salad groundhog days would quickly become boring were it not for our complete indiscrimination when it comes to our other ingredients. Roasted vegetables? Homemade croutons? Weird leftovers? Throw it all on there. As long as your dressing is oily and salty and tangy enough, it will tie everything together the way that a good gravy does on Thanksgiving.

Last week, we roasted broccoli and sliced radishes -- you could easily use last night's roasted vegetables -- and tossed them with our torn kale and some scraps of mâche. Boiled eggs topped everything off. I saw Amanda eyeing our salad. I think she brought in one of her own today.

Tell us: Do you like your kale in ribbons or chunks?

 

We're partnering with Earthbound Farm to bring you always fresh, never sad lunch ideas. Because dinner shouldn't be the only time that you put care into what you're eating.