AUTUMN KALE & SWEET POTATO SALAD

I don’t know if you feel the same, but I need some good salads right now. My body has been asking for fresh vegetables lately because I’ve been eating too many comfort foods. This is not the case. This recipe is easy to meal prep, so every time I open my refrigerator, a fresh, delicious salad is waiting for me. It’s a great help. This is a great help. 😛

WHAT PERIOD DO SALADS LISTEN?

This salad can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to five days due to its heartiness and low moisture. To soften the kale, you can either make the dressing separately or mix the dressing in advance. You may need to make more dressing if you toss the salad in the dressing before storage. Some of the dressing will evaporate as the salad cools.

CAN A DIFFERENT GREENE BE USED?

You can substitute spinach for kale if you don’t like the texture. You may also want to try lacinato-kale. This is slightly less curly than the curly kale that I used. This salad can be made with finely shredded carrots and cabbage, similar to my Sweet Crunch Winter Salad.

WHAT OTHER DRESSINGS CAN YOU USE?

The Maple Tahini Dressing, slightly sweetened and savoury, is the best match for these flavours. However, suppose you have to substitute it for something else. In that case, I recommend a sweet vinaigrette such as a honey poppyseed or apple cider vinaigrette or pomegranate dressing or even a raspberry vinegar.

SWAP OUT THE SWEET POTATOES

You can use any leftover roasted winter squash (butternut or delicata, pumpkin, kabocha etc.) that you have leftover. You can substitute sweet potatoes with roasted winter squash (butternut, delicata, pumpkin or kabocha) and still enjoy the fall flavours. Sweet potatoes are easier to source and prepare, so I chose them today.

AUTUMN KALE & SWEET POTATO SALAD

This crisp and fresh Autumn Kale and Sweet Potato salad is full of fresh produce but still retains all the cozy fall flavours.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes ($2.40)
• 1 Tbsp of cooking oil ($0.04)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon ($0.02)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.01)

MAPLE TAHINI DRESSING

• 1/4 cup tahini ($0.85)
• 1/4 cup water ($0.00
• 2 Tbsp of lemon juice ($0.09)
• 2 Tbsp Maple syrup ($0.60).
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.01)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder ($0.02)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)

SALAD

• 6 cups chopped kale (about 1/2 bunch) $0.50
• 1 large apple* ($0.70
• 1/4 cup pepitas ($0.60)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans ($0.52)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries ($0.22)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pre-heat the oven to 400oF Cut the sweet potatoes into pieces of 1/2 inch. Add the oil, cinnamon, cumin and smoked paprika to the sweet potatoes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss the sweet potato until coated with oil and spices.
• Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender. Stir the sweet potatoes once halfway through.
• As the sweet potatoes roast, make the rest of your salad. Begin with the dressing. In a blender, add the tahini and water. Blend the ingredients or mix them until they are smooth and creamy. Put the dressing aside.
• Remove the tough, woody stems from the kale leaves and rinse them in cool water. Then drain the kale and slice it thinly. They don’t need to be perfect, so don’t worry about that. Divide the kale into four containers or bowls.
• Divide the apple into quarters and take out the core. Each quarter should be cut into thin slices. Each container should have apple slices.
• Each container should contain 1 Tbsp of each chopped pecans and pepitas. After the sweet potatoes have been roasted, allow them to cool down for 5 minutes before dividing them among the containers. Divide the dressing into four small containers. You can either eat the salad right away or keep it in the refrigerator for five days.

NOTES

*Use sweet or sweet-tart varieties of apples. Honeycrisp was my choice, but Gala would also be a good option.

NUTRITION

Serving Size: 1 serving Calories 512 kcal Carbohydrates 79 g Protein 13 g Fat 20 g Sodium 462 mg Fiber 10 g