Sometimes the best dishes are happy accidents.  That is how we came up with our Beet Kale Salad. While preparing videoes for Vegan MoFo 2014, we had lots of peeled beets, peeled tomatoes, toasted pinenuts and massaged kales laying around, so Ethan suggested we just make a big salad for lunch. We added in some cannelini beans for additional texture and some avocado for extra flavor. The end result was this colorful, delicious, and filling salad. This makes enough for two entrees or you can use it as a side. The avocado replaces the need for dressing, but feel free to use dressing if you like or even just a squeeze of lemon juice would be great.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2 as a main dish or 6 as a side salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, destemmed and massaged
1 avocado
3 beets, peeled and diced
3 roma tomatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
1 15oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups if using fresh)
Salad dressing or fresh lemon juice if desired

Directions:

1. Put the kale into a large bowl. Add the avocado and use your hands to squish the avocado through the kale. Keep going until there are no pieces of avocado left and the kale is completely coated in avocado.

2. Add the beets, tomatoes, pinenuts and beans. Toss to even distribute throughout the kale. Feel free to use your hands. If using dressing, add it in now and keep tossing.

3. Divide among the plates and serve.