Chili Lime Corn & Kale Salad

As a dietitian I'm often told by others that "corn has no nutritional value" and I get it. Corn is in everything. And not a lot of it is nutritious. I mean just look at The Omnivore's Dilemma. In it, Michael Pollan traces an entire meal back to corn. A McDonald's meal to be exact. Where the chicken used to make chicken nuggets were fed corn, the nuggets are battered in a corn-based breading, and a soda is, of course, full of high-fructose corn syrup! Not too mention other corn by-products like corn oil, corn starch, etc.

Additionally, fresh corn did not always used to be so sweet either. What originated from large, starchy kernels in Mexico 9,000 years ago have been modified overtime to the small, sugary ones we know today.

Fresh corn, however, does still have plenty of nutritional value, which I talked about in this article!

Kale, as you likely know, is also massively nutritious and has loads of vitamins and minerals that do fantastic things for our bodies (a.ka. keeps them functioning and from getting sick)!

And if that's not convincing enough to make this dish, well, it is also delicious! Just a few simple ingredients and a chosen cooking method can drastically change the way food tastes. Kale, for example, is dry and bitter if eaten raw, but sauteed and flavored with spices (especially garlic) transforms it into irresistible, green, goodness. Pairing the less bitter and now more savory kale with the sweetness from the corn, sourness from the lemon juice, and umami flavor from the onions truly brings this side dish together and will soon become a summer favorite - it has for us anyway.

RECIPE

Serves: 4

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quick pickled red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup white vinegar

• 2 Tbs olive oil

• 4 cups fresh corn (about 4 ears)

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 2 cloves garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

• 1/4 tsp pepper (or more to taste)

• 1/2 bunch kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped

• 2 Tbs lime juice (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Make quick pickled onions by covering onion slices with vinegar in a small bowl. Let sit.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium.

3. Add corn and saute 3-4 minutes.

4. Add garlic, saute another 1-2 minutes.

5. Add chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir.

6. Add in kale and saute until kale begins to wilt and turn bright green.

7. Remove pan from heat.

8. Drain onions from vinegar and add the onions to the pan along with the lime juice and stir to combine.

9. Transfer to a large serving bowl.