Raw Kale Salad with Feta, Apples, and Pecans

I have never used raw kale for anything except juicing, so I was really pleased that my first attempt at making a salad with it was a success. Even though I see variations of this recipe on menus all the time, I was not sure how it would work for me in a salad, so I was a bit intimidated. Browsing through the internet I found an article on massaging kale and I decided to give it a try. This is an absolute MUST if you do not want to feel like you are eating plastic. It was so good, I will have to make it again and try it out on my finicky family.

Ingredients

• 0.5 tablespoon olive oil
• 0.5 cup pecan halves
• 1 packet stevia powder
• 0.25 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 2 bunches kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 apple, diced
• 0.5 cup crumbled feta cheese

Steps

1. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pecans; cook and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and sprinkle with stevia and chipotle powder; toss until well coated.
2. Place kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Massage until leaves begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add diced apple and spiced pecans. Fold in feta cheese.