M Cafe de Chaya, or simply M Cafe, is one of my favorite go-to LA lunch spots. It’s a macrobiotic restaurant where they stress the importance of whole, natural foods eaten in season, and everything is minimally processed.

One of my favorite items is their ‘Kale Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing’ and for years I tried to recreate it myself but it was never quite right. Well guess what?! I finally got my hands on the official recipe. Here’s how to make it:

Recipe: M Cafe’s Famous Kale Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Grab:
Salad:
1 large bunch kale
¼ cup peanuts, chopped for garnish
¼ red onion, halved and sliced for garnish
Spicy Peanut Dressing:
½ cup peanut butter
1 ½ T honey
2 T low sodium soy sauce
2 T brown rice vinegar
½ tsp. garlic, minced
½ tsp. ginger, minced
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1 ½ oz hot water

Make: 
1. Prep Kale: Remove the kale from the stems. 
Add a pinch of Salt to a pot of boiling water, then blanch the kale for 2 min. 
Remove the kale from the boiling water and shock it in a container of ice water. Squeeze the excess water out of the cooled kale.
2. Make Spicy Peanut Dressing: Place all dressing ingredients into a blender. Blend until mixture turns into a smooth consistency.
3. Assemble: Drizzle on dressing and mix until kale is evenly coated. Garnish with sliced red onions and chopped peanuts.

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