A lot of people I know have recently decided to follow the Paleo diet, short for Paleolithic, otherwise known as the Cave Man diet. As the name dictates, in this diet you are only supposed to eat what a caveman could cook (let’s assume they’ve already discovered fire). So essentially, if attempting this diet, all you have to do is ask yourself, could I hunt or gather this? If the answer is no, move along. Based on these rules, items like meat, fish, vegetables and fruits are a-ok, where as processed food such as cookies, bread, laffy taffy and ice cream are not. It goes further though. Not only can’t you eat bread, but you can’t have grains, even in their most natural form.

Aside from eliminating obviously fattening, sugary, chemically processed foods from their diets, “going paleo” forces avid dieters to cook at home. There is no better way to understand what is entering your body than to cook it yourself. So in honor of all the crazy people who have decided return their stomachs to a simpler time, here is a recipe for you.

Raw Kale Salad with Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

Raw Kale Salad with Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

Serving Size: 1

Difficulty Level: So easy a caveman could do it

What You’ll Need –

• A bowl
• A baking sheet
• A whisk
• A sharp knife
• An oven

Ingedients –

• 1 bunch black kale, washed, deveined & julienned*
• 1 medium sized Jerusalem artichoke (also known as sunchokes), washed and sliced into 1/8” rounds
• 1 egg yolk
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• 2 tbs canola oil
• 1 tbs olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation –

Preheat your oven to 350. In a bowl, toss the sliced Jerusalem artichokes with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put onto a baking sheet in a single layer and set aside until your oven is ready.

In the mean time, devein and wash your kale. Black kale is flat, so it typically holds less dirt than its curly kale cousin, however dirty lettuce is the easiest way to ruin a dish and your appetite. The vein of kale does not break down, so especially when eating a raw kale salad you want to make sure you’re only working with the leaves. Start at the base of the kale and make a circle with your fingers. Gently drag your fingers up around the kale, pulling the leaf away from the center vein. Discard the vein. Wash and try the kale leaves. *Laying the leaves flat, stack about 5 pieces of kale together. Then from the end that isn’t frayed, roll the kale up tightly and hold it there. Then, with a sharp knife, cut width-wise, into very thin strips. You just learned how to julienne kale.

By now your oven should be hot. Place your Jerusalem artichokes in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes or until tender. The best way to figure out if they are done is by tasting them. They are naturally crispier than potatoes, so don’t expect them to taste like a potato.

While the Jerusalem artichokes are cooking, make your dressing. Put the lemon juice, egg yolk, Dijon, horseradish and a touch of salt and pepper in a bowl and mix with your whisk. Then, very slowly add your canola oil, whisking while you pour it in a thin stream. Your dressing should thicken up and turn a light yellow. It should leave a thin coat on a spoon (or your finger). You can make it thicker by adding more oil, but be careful; too much oil will make mayo! Toss the kale with the dressing so it’s coated evenly. Set aside for a few minutes to let the dressing soak into the kale. Once the Jerusalem artichokes have cooled slightly you’re ready to plate your meal!

Plate your kale first, and once slightly cooled, lay your Jerusalem artichokes on top. Enjoy immediately.