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Lemony Kale Salad with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

½ pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
olive oil
sea salt
ground black pepper, to taste
1 bunch Winterbor kale, de-stemmed and leaves chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 ½ ounces Asiago cheese, shaved
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
3 ounces nitrate-free bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange asparagus pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil; toss well. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper, to taste. Roast for 10 minutes; remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, add kale to a large bowl. Make salad dressing by whisking together ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice, ground mustard, oregano, thyme, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
3. Drizzle half of the dressing over the kale and using hands, massage the dressing into the kale for 1-2 minutes, tenderizing the kale and causing it to turn a darker shade of green. Pour remaining dressing over kale and continue massaging 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Toss salad with Asiago, almond slivers, bacon crumbles, and slightly cooled asparagus; serve.