Marinated Kale Salad with Apples and Gouda

My co-worker and very good friend Ericka has been such a good influence on me in terms of what I eat and how I exercise. I've picked up many of my healthy habits from her. So when I noticed she eats a kale salad with chicken just about everyday for lunch, I was really curious. 

Are kale salads good? What do they taste like? I only ever bake kale in the oven for "chips."

When I saw this recipe in Southern Living, I thought it was the perfect one to try out.

I used green apples instead of pink lady. I also got this amazing block of Gouda from Trader Joes that had hints of butterscotch and caramel in it.

While kale certainly is tougher than a regular lettuce, the lemon juice it marinates in overnight softens it up, and well of course the cheese helps.

Overall, this is a good salad, but I don't know if I could do it everyday. ;)

Marinated Kale Salad with Apples and Gouda (recipe from Southern Living)
1 Granny Smith Apple
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bag or 2 bunches Lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped (about 8 oz.)
1/4 cup shaved aged Gouda cheese of choice

1. Chop apple into medium, bite sized pieces.

2. Whisk together lemon juice and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add kale and apples; toss to coat. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Add Gouda cheese, and toss just before serving.