Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tahini-Maple Dressing

While planning out winter seedlings, I went a bit overboard on kale. By early spring, I had ten abundant kale plants (a mix of red russian and curly kale varieties). That's a lot of kale for one person. I started to keep a jar of pre-washed kale leaves arranged in an enticing bouquet by my sink (nagging me to add a little green to my morning juice and meals throughout the day). I also started volunteering to bring kale salads to friend and family gatherings -- with the bragging rights of having just cut the kale from my garden that morning. One recipe I discovered, that I now love, comes from Cookie and Kate. It's savory, has great texture and is crazy healthy (kale and brussels sprouts, whoa).

Curly kale from the garden

Ingredients
1 bunch kale (any variety), chopped
12 brussels sprouts, thinly sliced and chopped
1/2 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan (optional)  
Salt

Tahini-Maple Dressing

1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbs. brown rice vinegar
2 tsp. miso
2 tsp. maple syrup
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. water

1) Cut out spines of kale leaves and chop into small pieces. Transfer chopped kale to large serving bowl.
2) Chop off ends of brussels sprouts, slice thin horizontally, then chop and break apart with fingers into little pieces. Add sprouts to serving bowl.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, vinegar, miso, maple syrup and red pepper flakes. Stir in the water until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour the dressing over kale and sprouts, add almonds and Parmesan and mix well.