My Favorite Kale Salad is the perfect marriage of crunch, assortment of textures, sweetness, tartness, savoriness, and everything that makes a salad completely crave-worthy. A mixture of kale and spring greens, nutty quinoa, toasted almonds, sweet & chewy dates, salty feta, punchy red onion, tart apples, chickpeas, and the best champagne maple dijon vinaigrette makes this salad worthy of the "favorite" title!
Begin by making the vinaigrette. Add all ingredients to a jar fitted with a lid, in the order listed. Shake vigorously until the vinaigrette comes together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.
Toast the almonds. In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, add the almonds and toast, watching carefully, shimmying the pan frequently, until golden brown. Add to a small bowl and set aside.
Add the kale to a large mixing bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the dressing along with a good pinch of salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Massage the dressing into the kale, until the leaves become softer and reduced in volume.
Add the spring greens to the kale and toss. Add the quinoa, chickpeas, dates, feta, toasted almonds, apple, red onion, desired amount of vinaigrette, a couple pinches of salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine. Serve with extra vinaigrette.