At KOR, we believe that the foods we put into our bodies should 1) taste great and 2) fuel us in a healthful and holistic way. We’re always on the lookout for recipes that marry these two values, and when we find them, we’re more than happy to share with our community.
That’s why, when we came across New York City Chef Julia Chebotar’s recipe for an anti-stress kale caesar salad, we just couldn’t keep it to ourselves!
If you’re looking for a recipe that works any time of day, every day of the week, this light, yet satisfying salad should do the trick. The ingredients in this recipe were designed to work together in a way that relieves stress and brightens mood.
Ready to dig in? Here’s all the info you need to start eating for stress relief.
First things first, a little about Julia!
Julia Chebotar (you can find her at @healthchefjulia) is a New York City-based chef who’s super passionate about developing healthy and sustainable recipes that are also (*gasp*) fun to eat! She brings joy and brightness to all of her posts and has found a really great way to fuse healthy living with loving life.
Her work blends bold flavors with colorful ingredients (and sometimes a bit of spice!) in inspiring and imaginative ways that support health as much as they do happiness. Her motto: cocktails and cheeseburgers can still be a part of a healthy lifestyle!
“Some foods contain specific nutrients that may promote brain health and help prevent anxiety or reduce stress. A lot of healthy, whole foods are natural anti-stress boosters, so you can make a few small additions or tweaks to your daily eats that will bolster your immune system's defenses.
KALE! It’s nutrient-rich in vitamin C and also packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene. It may even increase the infection-fighting ability of our immune systems.
Symptoms of stress have been linked with a lower antioxidant state in the body, meaning: antioxidants can help with mood, too!
Dark, leafy greens like kale, which are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, are needed to boost antioxidant levels and support optimal brain functioning!
I hope you enjoy my favorite (and stress relieving!) kale salad recipe.
– Julia Chebotar
Recipe:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp. (7.5 mL) Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. garlic fresh
- 1 Tbsp. miso paste
- 2 tsp. capers
- 1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt and pepper, or to taste
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1 small/medium bunch lacinato kale, destemmed (5 cups chopped)
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2 small heads of romaine lettuce (10 cups chopped)
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1 watermelon radish, cut into slivers
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1 pack cherry tomatoes, cut in half
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1 pack microgreens of choice
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1 carrot cut into slivers
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1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
- Soak cashews in a bowl of water overnight or for at least a few hours. Drain and rinse.
- Prepare the dressing: Add the cashews and all of the other dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender, and blend on high until the dressing is super smooth. You can add a splash of water if necessary to get it blending. Add salt to taste and adjust other seasonings, if desired. Set aside.
- Prepare the lettuce: Destem the kale and then finely chop the leaves. Wash and dry in a salad spinner. Place into an extra-large bowl. Chop up the romaine into bite-sized pieces. Rinse and then spin dry. Place into a bowl along with kale. You should have roughly 5 cups chopped kale and 10 cups chopped romaine. Cut tomatoes, carrots, radish, and prep cheese.
- Assemble: Add dressing onto lettuce and toss until fully coated. Season with a pinch of salt and mix again. Now sprinkle with Parmesan cheese & microgreens
- Serve immediately
One of our favorite ways to fuel our bodies to fight rising cortisol levels is with KOR’s De-Stress shot. The first secret ingredient is passionflower, the delicious herb that has been sought after for centuries for its stress-relieving benefits, including treating anxiety and insomnia. The second is Reishi mushrooms, which contain polypeptides that act as precursors to endorphins.
We’ve combined passionflower with the sweet flavors of organic kiwi and pineapple juice for a shot that’s as fun to take as it can be good for your overall mental well-being. Fuel your body to beat stress with KOR!