I got really friendly with kale last week. My 2nd CSA box contained a massive amount of it, so I made two recipes. After using the the majority of it for the Spicy Kale & White Bean Soup, I figured a salad was in order.
This salad can only be described with positive adjectives: light, refreshing, and tasty.
And the best part? It has the same flavors as a Mojito. Without the liquor, of course.
Kale Salad with Yogurt Mint Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of kale, washed, stems removed, and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2-3 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- juice of 1/2 lime
- salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, garlic, mint, and lime juice. Season with salt & pepper.
- Place kale ribbons in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and toss until kale is completely coated.
And there you go. A giant salad for one, or a side salad for you and your friends. You decide if you want to be selfish or not. 
Moving on… Let’s talk about the April Pure Barre challenge. Congrats in order – I completed all 20 required classes and locked in a special rate for May! Woohoo!
When I signed up for the challenge, I had every intention of completing all 20 classes and going to my gym on occasion. Did that happen? Eh, not so much.
What I missed:
- I only went to ESAC twice.
- Aside from the weights at PB, I also only strength trained twice. For an entire month, I said goodbye to 8, 10, and 15 lb. weights and swapped them for 1, 3, and 5 lb. weights.
- I ran three times. Whoa. Major change for me. I really missed running, but doing two-a-days was difficult, and running outside in this heat is miserable.
What I gained:
- The biggest difference I noticed was increased flexibility. I’ve always been able to do a split with my right leg forward, but I can now do a split on both sides!
- I stretched more than usual too. I think this helped a ton with my flexibility.
- My arms changed shape. In a good way! They’ve been pretty defined for a couple years, but my deltoids are more sculpted.
- I’m nowhere near a six pack or anything like that, but I did more ab work in PB than ever before. I definitely feel like my core is stronger.
- Friends! The PB family is awesome. Jen, the owner, is so sweet and all of the instructors are incredible. The music is fun, to boot.
I’m really excited to complete another month of Pure Barre. One interesting thing I must note is that I assumed each class would get easier. No. Not at all. With each class, you become more aware of the different muscles you’re working. You concentrate on every single tiny movement, which makes for a more efficient workout. It’s pretty amazing how aware you will become of every movement you make – even outside of the studio throughout the day.
Kale – do you prefer it raw or cooked?
Did you complete the Pure Barre challenge? If you haven’t ever signed up for the class, what are you waiting for?
Can you believe it’s already May!?
