Confession: Had the Packers not won on Sunday, this salad would have been called the “Honey Avocado Kale Salad.”  But because I’m a sucker for a good theme party (or recipe) and I love lightening-up party food, it is now the Green and Gold Kale Salad.  This salad is so incredibly easy to whip up and a nice alternative to typical game day food.  It can also be customized to any team you’re cheering for – just be creative with the toppings to achieve your team’s colors (bell peppers, carrots, dried fruit, nuts, etc.)  

I really had to do some soul searching before deciding to go this route, because growing up I was taught that Packer fans are insane and put the Packers above all else, including family members and laws of common decency.  I remember my dad trying to explain the degree to which Packer fans’ obsession goes, telling me they even display pictures of Lambeau in their living rooms!  Now as he explained this, I took a quick scan of my parents’ house and counted not 1, not 2, but 4 pictures of Wrigley Field adorning their walls, but that just feels different.  Even as I photographed this dish every Chicago-born bone in my body was screaming at me not to do it, but it’s so delicious that I threw my values out the window and loaded up on the green and yellow bell peppers. 

I figure now that we own a home in Wisconsin, it’s time to at least tolerate the green and gold obsession.  So instead of an olive branch, I’m offering a kale leaf tossed with creamy avocado, lemon and honey dressing. 

The dressing can be made with a blender, food processor or immersion blender and will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.  It gets its creamy texture from the avocado and is completely dairy-free.  Because kale leaves can be so tough, massage the dressing into the salad at least a day or so before you plan to serve it to help soften the leaves a little.  For more quick green salads, check out Cooking Light.

So if you’re planning a party on Sunday just sit back and R-E-L-A-X… the salad’s already made!  Enjoy!

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