1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs discarded and leaves cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 pinches salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 carrots, grated
½ cup frozen roasted corn (such as Trader Joe's), thawed
¼ cup crushed tortilla chips
¼ cup dry-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons grated smoked white cheese (such as Beecher's Smoked Flagship)
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Method
In a spacious serving bowl, place the kale and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil along with a couple of pinches of salt. Massage the mixture into the kale leaves gently, then let it rest for about 10 minutes to soften.
For the dressing, mix together 1/4 cup of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until the dressing turns a light yellow hue and is well combined.
On top of the prepared kale, arrange layers of shredded carrots, roasted corn, crunchy tortilla chips, sliced almonds, and smoky cheese.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and use tongs to toss everything together until it is evenly coated. Finally, fold in the chopped eggs gently into the salad.
