Eating Well: A Powerhouse Kale and Fennel Salad

This salad hits all the right notes—vibrant and satisfying, hearty and flavorful.

Recently, I heard that most people have given up on their New Year’s resolutions by the second Friday in January.

As someone who’s always writing about food, reading about food and watching food on social media, I think about food a lot. The aesthetics, the taste, the nutrition, even the cost. I’m all about the ease of a recipe because, let’s face it, who wants to be stuck in a kitchen all day long?!

When I find a recipe that is easy to make and that everyone loves, I’ll make it on repeat.

But back to the New Year’s resolutions, I get how hard it is to eat healthfully when life is so busy and rushed and there are so many temptations around us. Temptations like hamburgers and French fries, pizza and pasta when we eat out. Bagels, croissants and muffins for a quick breakfast. Potato chips, pretzels and granola bars to tame those hunger pangs between meals.

Trust me, all those foods call out to me.

That’s why I love to cook at home. Mostly roast chicken and lots of veggies, soups and stews.

I always feel virtuous when I eat salad. And it’s even more thrilling when my family and guests love a salad that I make.

This week, Rachel and I share this Powerhouse Kale and Fennel Salad Recipe. This salad hits all the right notes—vibrant and satisfying, hearty and flavorful. The kale base, crispy cucumber and crunchy pumpkin seeds lend lots of texture. The garbanzo beans add a satisfying meatiness, the dates a touch of sweetness, the avocado and hearts of palm a rich creaminess. The fennel adds a hint of licorice flavor and the pickled red onions add a complex zesty contrast.

A salad this nutritious and delicious makes it that much easier to eat well.

—Sharon

As I get older, I’ve mostly given up on New Year’s resolutions, knowing deep down they rarely last. Instead of promising myself to lose 10 pounds or work out five days a week, I’ve shifted to a more realistic, day-by-day approach. Some days I do better than others, but I try to focus on small healthy choices, more protein, more greens, less sugar.

I aim to get as many steps in as I can. On days when I can’t walk, I take the stairs or park as far away as possible. I’ve stopped setting myself up for big failures and started being a little kinder to myself. I know I’m not going to become a gym person at this stage of my life, but I do know that walking my neighborhood clears my head and genuinely makes me happy.

I love sweets, and I’m not pretending otherwise. During the week, I try to satisfy that craving with fruit, often one or two blissfully sweet dates. I save the truly sinful desserts for Shabbat. Eating enough vegetables is a priority, so when Sharon and I come up with a new salad, it’s always exciting to add it to my work lunches.

I’ll admit — I’m a dressing girl. Salads are all about the dressing. This red wine vinaigrette is an absolute favorite. I make it on repeat because it is simple, bold and truly brings out the flavors of all the ingredients.

—Rachel



Pickled Onions

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp sumac

Place onion in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add in the sumac, then pour mixture over the onions.

Let cool to room temperature, then place the lid on and refrigerate until ready to use, at least 2 hours.

Store pickled onions in the refrigerator for 1 month.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey, optional

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, sumac and oregano. Add salt and pepper.

Store covered in the refrigerator and use within a week.

Powerhouse Kale and Fennel Salad

1 10 oz bag kale

1 14 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 14 oz can hearts of palm, drained and chopped

1 fennel bulb, finely sliced

1 large avocado, diced

2 Persian cucumbers, chopped

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup pickled onions

Arrange all the vegetables in a large bowl. Add the red wine vinaigrette and toss well.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.

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Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Follow them
on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food