Kale Salad with Apples and Cheddar

This salad is simple, but utilizes autumn ingredients to make a flavorful side dish. I chose to serve a heavier main course this year, so I wanted something a little lighter to pair with tomorrow's recipe. I've been eating this salad almost every day for lunch since we made it the first time -- I'm still not bored of it! 

Pair with: Pomegranate Jeweled White Cheddar, Toasted Almond and Sage Cheeseball and Cranberry Margaritas.

Recipe from Martha Rose Shulman at the New York Times. 

Ingredients: 

-4 cups very finely chopped or slivered curly kale or Russian kale 

-2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted almonds

-1 sweet apple, cut in 1/4-inch dice

-1 ounce sharp Cheddar cheese, cut in 1/4-inch dice

-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

-Salt and pepper to taste

-1 very small garlic clove, puréed

-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the salad combine the kale, almonds, apple and white cheddar in a large bowl.Whisk together the lemon juice, salt, garlic and olive oil in a smaller bowl. Add to the salad and gently massage the dressing into the kale using your hands. This will help to break down the kale and make it easier to eat.