Kale Salad with Bell Peppers and Mangos

I eat big salads every day.  I love kale salad, but only seem to make it when I am out of lettuce. It’s so good, I should make it more often.  This is a great salad to prepare in advance and bring to a potluck or picnic.  Unlike salads made with lettuce that will wilt very quickly once dressed, kale salad can last several days.

1 head of kale, about 8-10 leaves
2 bell peppers (red, orange and/or yellow), cored, seeded and cut in strips
1 large mango, peeled and cut in strips
2-4 tablespoons black olives, Kalamata or sun-dried, the wrinkled kind, not from a can, pitted and finely chopped
1/4 finely chopped Vidalia or red onion
juice from two oranges, about 1 cup 

Remove the stalk from the kale by cutting or ripping the leaves off.  Save the stalks for a green juice.  Roll the leaves and cut in thin thread about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick.  Place in a bowl, pour in the orange juice and knead the leaves with your hands for a few minutes.  This will soften them.  Add in the peppers, mango, olives and onion.  Toss and serve. Serves 2-3 as a main dish or 4-6 as a side salad.

Variation: Add in 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped, in place of bell peppers. Add one avocado, peeled and cut into small pieces in place of the mango.