1largenavel orange, zested and juiced (about ½ cup fresh orange juice)
¼cupolive oil, extra virgin
2Tbspapple cider vinegar
½tspdijon mustard
¼tspsalt, or to taste
1tspfresh chives, chopped fine
1tspfresh parsley, chopped fine
For the Spiced Pecans:
1cuppecan halves
1tspcoconut oil
1 ½Tbspcane sugar
1tspground cinnamon
½tsppaprika
¼tspsalt, or to taste
Instructions
For the Sprouted Wheat Berries:
Soak the dry wheat kernels for 4 – 8 hours, in a mason jar filled with water. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and drain out the water, or transfer soaked kernels to a sprouting tray if you have one.
Sprout for 2 – 3 days, rinsing wheat kernels at least twice a day with cool water and allowing to drain completely after each rinse.
For the Spiced Pecans:
Toast the pecans lightly in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir frequently for 4 – 5 minutes until they start to brown. Remove the pecans from the pan and set aside.
While the pan is still hot, melt the coconut oil and add the sugar and spices until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize.
Add the toasted pecans to the pan and toss to coat. Taking care not to burn yourself on the hot caramel, transfer the candied pecans to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Allow to cool.
For the Dressing and Salad:
Combine all the salad dressing ingredients into a bowl, leaving out the olive oil for now. Whisk until the salt dissolves and the mustard, vinegar, and orange juice have blended nicely. Slowly whisk in the oil until well-combined. Set aside.
Once you’ve rinsed and dried your kale, run your hand along the stem to remove the green leaves from the stalk. Tear the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and add them to a large bowl.
Add squeeze of orange juice and a pinch of salt to the kale. Using clean hands, massage the kale for roughly 3 minutes to soften the leaves. They should become glossy and slightly reduced in volume.
Finally, combine all remaining salad ingredients to the bowl with the massaged kale. Drizzle the dressing over the ingredients, toss to coat, and serve.
Tips
Save time by preparing the sprouted wheat berries, candied pecans, and salad dressing in advance. You can even prepare them in larger batches to use in other recipes.- Store the sprouted wheat berries in a covered container and place in the fridge for up to 3 days or keep them for longer in the freezer.- Spiced pecans can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.-Store the salad dressing in a jar and refrigerate up to a week.Another time-saving option? Skip the whisk and shake all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid. And finally, for some family fun in the kitchen, ask the kids for a hand with sprouting the wheat kernels and massaging the kale.