Cabbage and Kale Salad

My friend in Bellingham, who I spent a small amount of time with recently in order to have a great deal of fun, seafood, and good conversation, and, as it turns out, this great salad.  You can use any nut (pumpkin seeds work well) and you can substitute tahini for the chickpeas if you have one but not the other.  You can add a cup of cooked grain if you like, or not.

for the salad:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup diced, de-stemmed kale
• 3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

for the dressing:

• 1/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt

To make the salad: Combine sesame oil and kale in a large mixing bowl. Gently massage the oil into the kale leaves by hand for approximately 2 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness and softens the texture of the kale. Add the cabbage, quinoa, walnuts, and goat cheese and toss gently to combine.
To make the dressing: In a separate bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and use an immersion blender—a food processor or blender will also work—to puree until smooth.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to combine.