Molly Watson's Spicy Kale Salad with Popped Wild Rice
march 3, 2015

Kale salads seem to be magically delicious these days, and this one was no exception. Wild rice, popped like corn, gave it a crunchy topping, a sort of better-for-you crouton replacement.

Wild rice is a little more finicky than popcorn when being exploded. My first two attempts burned, but then I finally got it right - it takes a quick but gentle hand and close attention. The rice is pleasantly crunchy and quite tasty with a little salt.

This is the first "massaged" kale salad I've made that hasn't had oil and salt added before the rub-down, which seemed to give the salad a slightly different flavor than all the others. The spicy dressing was a nice change, too.

Surprisingly, both my kids ate it. It probably had something to do with the ice cream bribe I offered, though that is fairly standard at our dinner table.

On p. 38 of Molly Watson's Greens + Grains: Recipes for Deliciously Healthful Meals.