Courtesy Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salad author and celebrity nutritionist/chef Christine Avanti. (And yes, we get that the title is a little ironic considering that this is, in fact, a salad recipe!)

Cannellini beans give a basic Tuscan kale salad a real protein boost, while cherry tomatoes add a hint of sweetness to this salty, citrus-y dish. And with 7 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids, this salad will help burn belly fat!

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 cup canned cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup homemade croutons, crumbled
Fine sea salt

Cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash the kale and tear out the stems. Cut the leaves into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons and set aside in a large salad bowl.
2. Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt until it becomes a paste.
3. Transfer to a bowl and add the cheese, oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and anchovy paste.
4. Whisk to combine all ingredients well. Add more salt and cracked pepper to taste.
5. Pour the dressing on the kale and toss well (the dressing will be quite thick).
6. Let sit for 5 minutes so that the lemon juice can begin to soften the kale.
7. Add the beans, tomatoes, and croutons. Give the salad one more thorough toss.

Serves 8

We rounded up 11 other delish salad recipes in honor of National Salad Month. Check them out here!

Posted on May 23, 2012