Simplicity in Food & Wardrobe. And a Summery Kale Salad with my Simple Homemade Dressing.
At the beginning of this year, I made a commitment to myself to buy less and to buy higher quality. Part of this has also included supporting brands that produce items ethically and sustainably, and supporting smaller shops and labels as well.
Overall, my wish is to simplify my closet to only contain pieces I love and have thoughtfully curated.
Enter Darcy Apparel’s in-house collection! This linen dress is simplicity done to perfection. It’s made of 100% linen, a natural fiber that will only get better with age, making it a beautiful and sustainable investment for your closet. Darcy designs her collection in Fayetteville, Arkansas and it is made ethically in small batches. I also have the ribbed knit tee and it couldn’t be more perfect! Darcy offered a code, JACY15, for 15% off the Darcy Collection.
I also love a simple approach when it comes to food. Eating nourishing, whole foods, with an emphasis on vegetables, is one of the best things you can do for your health and happiness. I feel my best when I’m eating simply!
The idea for this simple summer salad came to me one day, and I was so excited when it actually turned out just as I had imagined! I even created a delicious little dressing, which is a healthy, homemade take on a store-bought dressing I used to love but discovered had canola oil and sugar. My take is simple and clean, and delicious too!
I may be biased, but I think this salad is really beautiful! It’s the perfect side to some grilled chicken or salmon, and keeps nicely if you want to bring it to dinner with friends or on a summer picnic.
Summery Kale Salad
A few cups chopped kale (remove stem bits)
Halved cherry tomatoes
Raw pumpkin seeds/pepitas
Hemp seeds
Crumbled feta or goat cheese, or vegan feta (I used the Violife vegan feta to be dairy-free)
Simple Homemade Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
2-3 cloves minced garlic
Juice of 1/2 large lemon or whole small lemon
Freshly cracked salt & pepper to taste
Sweeten to taste with a drizzle of honey (tsp-ish) and/or a bit of liquid stevia
After chopping your kale, pour on desired amount of dressing (this recipe makes extra) and “massage” into the kale with clean fingers. This softens the kale and helps it really absorb the flavors of the dressing! Then, simply add the other toppings and voila!
