kale cashew krunch

let's talk about kale...it is green and leafy and sturdy and has a taste it can take a few bites (or many more) to get used to...today i eat it like it's nobody's business, my body actually craves it and i feel SO much better after i eat it, but that wasn't always the case...in the beginning there was a "fake it til you make it" mantra happening in my mind, body and soul!  i love life...i love MY life...barring a major and unexpected tragedy i expect the food i put in will keep me ALIVE and happy to be so!  so, i eat kale!  here is a long list of it's health benefits

• 1 cup = 20% of your daily fiber (1 cup is a really small amount!)
• it aids in digestion
• it prevents constipation (i know so many people who suffer from this!)
• it lowers your blood sugar (i also know many of you who are diabetic!)
• and without boring you silly, in laymen's terms, kale contains a magical ingredient called isothiocyanate which FIGHTS the formation of a bacteria in the lining of the stomach that can lead to gastric cancer...1) OUCH! and 2) i just bored myself!

BOTTOM LINE: kale is GOOD, kale will give you SUPER POWERS!

the following recipe is my own creation called "KALE CASHEW KRUNCH"
i will list very specifically the ingredients i use but things like "sprouted raw sunflower seeds" can be replaced with plain ol' sunflower seeds, so don't get too hung up on my details!  the best part of this salad is not the kale, it is the creamy cashew dressing and the CRUNCH!

1/2 bunch kale (buy a bunch and separate 1/2 out!)
1/4 cup raw sprouted sunflower seeds (buy raw and sprouted everything when you can!)
1/4 cup raw sprouted pumpkin seeds
1/4-1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins or fresh apples, something sweet!)
organic sunflower greens (or other micro greens)
1/4 teaspoon himalayan rock salt
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup water

• in a blender or food processor mix cashews, water and salt until creamy (a little chunky is fine, it adds to the crunch of the salad!)  you may need to stop blending to scrape down the sides with a spatula before finishing the job!  and add a little water if you want a thinner dressing, but this works well thick
• rinse and dry your kale, tear the leafy parts away from the very sturdy main vein of the plant and tear or chop it into little pieces (easier to eat!) and toss it into a big mixing bowl
• throw in the cranberries, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds
• chop up about 1/2 cup of the sunflower greens (they smell like sunflower seeds when you chop them!)
• dump in the cashew mixture and mix well, if the cashew cream is thick it will take you a minute or two to get all of it evenly distributed throughout the salad