Festive Kale Salad
{Original post published November 23, 2021}
Ok, here’s the truth: you need to learn how to make kale taste good. If you don’t like kale, it’s probably because you've never prepared it properly. Try this recipe. The dressing is punchy enough to stand up to the bitterness of the kale, the pecan “parm” is savoury and salty and rich (the perfect cheese substitute!) , and the other elements bring a balance of sweetness, crunch and zinnnnggg. I love this recipe around this time of year because everything is in season, and it looks SO pretty as part of a holiday meal. (Plus, it’s a great thing to bring to a dinner party to ensure that there’s something really nutritious on the table!)
Festive Kale Salad (makes 4-6 servings)
2 bunches of kale
1 pomegranate, seeded
2 cups diced butternut squash
½ a red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Dressing
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp dijon mustard
Pinch of salt
“Parm” Crumble
¾ cup pecans or cashews
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp onion powder (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
For the Dressing
Place all ingredients in a mason jar/container and shake well.
For the Parm Crumble
Place all ingredients in a food processor (or high speed blender if you don’t have one), adding small amounts of oil at a time to achieve a desired consistency of crumble (can have it drier or a little more wet depending on preference). You can make this by hand in a small bowl if you very finely chop the nuts ahead of time- to a “crumble” consistency.
For the salad
Prepare salad ingredients by first roasting squash (if you are using). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash into ¾ - 1 inch cubes, toss in a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place in the oven. Cook until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Place the sliced red onions in a small bowl and pour 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt overtop. Allow to sit and macerate for 10-30 minutes.
Destem kale and finely slice. Place in a large bowl, and drizzle 1-2 tsp of olive oil and massage for 2-3 minutes, until bright green and tender. Alternatively, use 1-2 tbsp of dressing to massage. (DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! This is where the kale starts to break down, making it soft and brighter in colour- and much, much more palatable.)
To build the salad, add roasted squash to kale, top with onions, pomegranate seeds and parm crumble. Drizzle more dressing on top if desired and toss. Enjoy!
This recipe is also a great one to meal prep, because it holds up well in the fridge for a few days. Just keep the elements separate and dress right before serving. (You can still massage the kale ahead of time, though!)
**Credit where credit is due! The most important parts of this recipe (the pecan parm and the dressing) come from one of my healthy cooking mentors at Beyond Nourished. Check out their awesome Instagram for lots of healthy cooking tips, or personal chef services if you’re fancy!
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