Colder Weather Kale Salad
Salads aren’t just for summer! This hearty salad combines kale and root vegetables including beets, sweet potatoes, and carrots which are in season when the weather starts to grow chilly. This is also great for meal prep as kale is a heartier green that will last a few days after being massaged in oil.
Ensure you massage your kale first to let the fibers start to break down and make it more appealing to eat. While the kale is sitting in zen post massage, roast your chickpeas, beets, and sweet potatoes. Prep the rest of your veggies and mix dressing during roasting time and your salad is ready to plate! This salad is great leftover so make sure to pack some for the weeks lunches!
Kitchen Tip!
Kale, love it or hate it? I have found many people don’t know how to prep this hearty green and therefor do not like to eat it. With some key prep steps you can easily turn this green from woody and tough, to delicious!
Do you know how to quickly and efficiently remove the ribs from kale? This tip was a game changer to me when it comes to prepping kale, hopefully it helps you too! Simply firmly grip the kale at the bottom of the stem with one hand and pinch the bottom of the leaves with your other hand between your thumb and fingers. Squeezing slightly, slide your fingers up the stem which should cause the leaves to rip off of the stem between your thumb and forefinger. You will be left with little kale stem wands, and leaves that are easy to tear for salad prep.
The next crucial step to prep edible kale, is massaging it! Drizzle your bowl of greens with some olive oil and give it a good rubdown until all pieces have a light coat of olive oil. Do this first, and then let your kale sit in post massage bliss while you prep the rest of your meal to let the leaves get tender.
Health Benefit!
Kale, and other green leafy vegetables, are some of the best dietary sources of vitamin K. Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and bone health. While it is important to get adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D for bone density, as I have talked about in previous posts, vitamin K is also an important contributor to this process.
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it is better absorbed by our bodies when eaten with a fat. Therefore massaging kale in olive oil not only helps with taste and texture, but helps our bodies to utilize its important nutrients as well!
Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch garlic
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Juice from half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons miso
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1 bunch kale
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium beets
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 small carrots
- 1 avocado
- 2 scallions
- 2 Tablespoons pepitas
Instructions
- Remove ribs from kale. Tear into salad sized pieces, wash and dry. Add kale to a large bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and massage using your hands until oil is massaged into all pieces of kale. Kale will become more tender if you do this as a first step and let it sit while you prep the rest.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rinse chickpeas in a colander and let drain well. Add to a bowl with olive oil and spices, stir to coat well. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and distribute evenly. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, giving a stir halfway through, until they are starting to get golden brown and outside edges are starting to crisp. Set aside.
- Peel sweet potato and beets and cut into a small dice. Add to sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add a pinch salt and pepper, and place in the oven along with the chickpeas. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
- Prep the tahini dressing while the chickpeas and vegetables are roasting by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl. Add more or less water depending on desired thickness.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots into small ribbons. Slice the avocado and green onion.
- Assemble salad by placing a layer of kale on your plate. Top with roasted beets, sweet potato, and crispy chickpeas. Add carrot ribbons, avocado slices, sliced green onion, pepitas, and finish by drizzling with as much tahini dressing as you desire.
