I am trying to grasp the tail-ends of summer, and what better way to end it than with these gorgeously sweet pitayas! They have such a lovely vibrant colour and are chock-full of antioxidants. Pitayas are one of the few fruits where the seeds are eaten together with the flesh. The seeds in pitayas contain high amount of good fats, which make for stronger skin and hair. I find these purple-fleshed varieties are almost always sweeter than their white-fleshed counterparts. They also look so adorably pretty!
This Crunchy Kale and Pitaya Salad recipe is the manifestation of a fashion blogger. It goes for a neutral palette with a bright accent colour. I mixed lots of greens (kale, broccoli, and granny smiths) with a bright pop of colour (pitayas). I use baby kale leaves here as I find them easier to digest, rather than the more common curly-leaved kale. If you are using the curly-leaved variety, I will suggest ‘massaging’ them a bit longer to break down the fibres (more in the recipe).
Despite it’s mostly green base, this salad is an explosion of flavours and textures. From the crunchy kale, soft broccoli, tart granny smiths and the occasional burst of sweetness from the pitayas. Every bite is a sheer delight!
On the fashion end, don’t worry about smudging your lipstick, the pitayas will keep them prettily purple-stained. Just sayin’!
Crunchy Kale and Pitaya Salad
Serves 1
For the Salad:
- 200grams baby kale leaves
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 green apple, cubed
- 1/2 cup broccoli, steamed
- 1/4 dragon fruit, cubed
- 1/4 red onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
For the Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 lemon, juiced
- Sea Salt and Black pepper
Directions
- In a large bowl, mix kale with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt. Gently massage for about 1 minute.
- Arrange the kale and rest of the salad ingredients on a large plate.
- Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice on salad. Seasoned with sea salt and pepper to serve.