This hearty salad features a few of my all-time favorite ingredients. Here we have massaged kale, quinoa, spiced sweet potatoes, and black beans served with a dollop of creamy avocado sauce. I added crumbled feta and toasted pepitas for good measure.

I’d cook with only these ingredients if it weren’t for diversity’s sake. This texture-rich vegetarian salad packs great for lunch. If you like to meal prep for the week, this is an excellent candidate. Given the number of components, this is not the quickest recipe around, but it’s absolutely work the effort.

This recipe has been a reader favorite since it was originally published in 2015 (really, nine years ago?). I developed it during a month-long stay in Austin, Texas with my friend Ali. You could probably say that the Southwestern vibes influenced the recipe.

Today, this salad is getting fresh photos and some slight revisions. Enjoy!

How to Make This Power Salad

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief rundown with notes and video.

1. Cook the quinoa. The recipe uses my foolproof method of cooking quinoa, which will differ from the instructions on your bag. You can make the quinoa a day in advance, if you’d like.
2. Cook the sweet potatoes in a skillet. I love roasted sweet potatoes, but these sweet potatoes are cut quite small, so the skillet method is ideal. We’ll add a little bit of water, cover and let them steam until tender, then uncover and cook them until they’re caramelized on the edges.
3. Massage and dress the kale. Massaging the kale (literally just scrunching it in your hands until it’s darker and softer) removes all the poky edges and improves the flavor. Then we’ll whisk together a simple olive oil and lime dressing, and toss to coat.
4. Make the avocado sauce. Combine the ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add more lime juice, if you’d like. The sauce should be nicely tart, but not overwhelmingly so.
5. Toast the pepitas in a skillet. Freshly-toasted pepitas taste amazing and are totally worth the extra few minutes. Keep an eye on the skillet, as it’s easy to turn on the heat and forget until they’re too toasty.
6. Assemble! Divide the components between bowls as shown, and enjoy.

Watch How to Make Southwestern Kale Power Salad

More Sweet Potato and Kale Recipes

• Coconut Curried Kale and Sweet Potato
• Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale & Pesto Vinaigrette
• Spicy Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls
• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Pepita Dip
• Sweet Potato, Kale and Chickpea Soup

Please let me know how this recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 large salads
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 144 reviews

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Healthy kale and quinoa power salad with spicy sweet potato, black beans and creamy avocado sauce. If your lime are particularly big, scale back. This gluten-free, vegetarian (easily vegan) salad packs well for lunch, too! Recipe yields 4 generous salads or 6 medium.

Ingredients

Quinoa and kale

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped into very small, bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium lime, juiced
• ½ teaspoon fine salt

Sweet potatoes

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), sliced into small, ¼-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon fine salt

Avocado sauce

• 2 ripe avocados, sliced into long strips
• ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, membranes removed and roughly chopped
• 1 handful cilantro leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander, optional
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt, to taste

Everything else

• 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)

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Instructions

1. To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
2. To cook the sweet potatoes: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is easily pierced through with a fork, about 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Uncover the pan, raise the heat back to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are caramelizing on the edges, about 3 to 7 minutes (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan). Set aside to cool.
4. To prepare the kale: Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chopped kale with salt and use your hands to “massage” it, which improves the flavor. Just grab handfuls of kale in your hands and scrunch it up in your palms. Repeat until the kale is darker green in color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
5. To make the avocado sauce: Combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well, add more lime juice if desired, and season with salt, to taste.
6. To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are turning lightly golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl of kale and toss to combine. Divide the kale and quinoa mixture into four large salad bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, a big dollop of avocado sauce, and a sprinkle of feta and pepitas.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta.

Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for a few days. To keep the avocado sauce fresh, store it separately in a small bowl, with plastic wrap pressed against the top surface to prevent oxidation.

Change it up: Butternut squash or carrots would be good substitutions for the sweet potatoes.

Edits January 11, 2024: Adjusted avocado sauce by omitting 2 tablespoons olive oil (unnecessary), decreasing the salt for the sweet potatoes from 1 ½ teaspoons to ½ teaspoon, and specifying the amounts of lime juice and salt.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Method: Varies
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Southwestern Kale Power Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Trust me, you need this lemony kale salad recipe. It might not look like much at first glance, but this hearty green salad is boldly flavored and just what you need to round out tonight’s dinner.

This simple kale salad features finely shredded Tuscan kale tossed in a bold, lemony dressing with freshly-grated pecorino romano or Parmesan cheese.

Tuscan kale goes by many names—you might know it as lacinato kale, dinosaur kale or cavolo nero (literally “black cabbage” in Italian). It’s less curly than standard kale, which makes it easier to stack, roll and thinly slice. Once prepared, this salad is almost slaw-like in texture. It’s really irresistible.

This food blog has no less than 22 kale salad recipes already, plus this kale salad roundup with tips. But the collection truly isn’t complete without this one, which draws heavy inspiration from the mother of all kale salads created by Joshua McFadden in 2007.

I always order a salad like this one when we eat at True Foods Kitchen. The main difference between this salad and the aforementioned kale salads is that this recipe omits the bread crumbs. I tried with and without, and the breadcrumbs didn’t do a whole lot in terms of flavor and don’t keep well on the salad for leftovers.

You’ll find the recipe and instructional video below. I’m also sharing my best tips that will help you create consistently flavored batches of salad, which is honestly tricky!

How to Make Lemony Kale Salad

Here’s the funny thing about kale—it’s sold in bunches that are not consistent by weight. Is this a kale-spiracy? Quite possibly. This recipe calls for specifically for one medium-to-large bunch of Tuscan kale, which is about eight ounces by weight. If your kale bunches are quite small, you might even need two of them. 

The recipe offers a suggested range of lemon juice since kale bunches vary in size, and even a bit in flavor from one bunch to the next. We’ll start with one tablespoon, and you can add up to one more to taste at the end. You want the salad to taste a little puckery because the tartness of the lemon helps counter the bitterness of the kale.

You’ll need to finely shred and massage the kale for best results. This sounds fussy, but it’s not very difficult, I promise! Finely shredding the kale yields an awesome texture, which is improved further by massaging the kale. If you’ve ever struggled to eat a poky, large-leafed kale salad, this one is a totally different ballgame. You’ll find the full how-tos in the recipe below, and you can see these techniques in action in the video.

Pecorino romano vs. Parmesan: Pecorino is my top pick, but Parmesan will work if that’s what you have. They’re similar because they’re both aged hard cheeses, though pecorino is made from sheep’s milk and Parmesan is from cow’s milk. Pecorino has a sharper flavor and it’s more salty, so it really stands out more in this salad. The salty aspect is a plus because salt helps counter the bitterness of the kale (you can always add another pinch of salt, to taste, if needed).

Watch How to Make Kale Salad

Kale Salad Serving Suggestions

This versatile kale salad will brighten any meal that’s on the heavier or more traditional side. It goes well with hearty Italian meals like Eggplant Parmesan, and creamy soups and pastas. Hear are just a few suggestions to make a full meal:

• Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
• Best Vegetable Lasagna
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
• Pasta alla Norma
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crème Fraîche

More Kale Salads to Enjoy

View all kale salads here. Below are a few select favorites (I love them all, though).

• Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
• Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel, Honeycrisp and Goat Cheese
• Balsamic Butternut, Kale and Cranberry Panzanella
• Deb’s Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries and Pecans
• Farro and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese

Please let me know how your kale salad turns out in the comments! I’d be delighted to hear from you.

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Lemony Kale Salad

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 9 reviews

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Make this lemony kale salad! It’s a simple kale salad recipe featuring a bright lemon dressing and freshly-grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese. This boldly flavored kale salad is the perfect side salad to complement your meal. Recipe yields 4 to 6 side salads, and is easily doubled.

Ingredients

Lemon dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
• Several twists of freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Kale salad

• 1 medium-to-large bunch of Tuscan kale (8 ounces)
• ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 
• ½ cup (1 ½ ounces) finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients (use just 1 tablespoon lemon juice) and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. To prepare the kale, fold the leaf so the larger rib side is out and pull the tough rib out from the kale to make each leaf into two separate halves. Stack a few leaves at a time and roll them up, from one short end to the other. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice them as thinly as possible across the roll. Then use a chop or two to cut all of the rounds in half.
3. Transfer the chopped kale to a medium serving bowl and sprinkle it with the salt. Massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, over and over until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.
4. Drizzle in all of the dressing, add all of the cheese and gently toss until thoroughly combined. Taste, and add more lemon juice if desired—it should taste pleasantly lemony and a little tart (the tartness helps cut the bitterness of the kale). 
5. Ideally, let the salad rest for 10 minutes or more before serving. This salad will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese, to taste.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

The post Lemony Kale Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Why do I love kale salads? For starters, they’re a great pack-for-lunch option. Dressed kale salads keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of days, unlike most salads made with more delicate greens.

Secondly, kale salads are packed full of nutrients and fiber thanks to the kale and complementary produce. Did you know that just one cup of kale offers over two times the amount of Vitamin A you need in one day? It’s no wonder I feel like Wonder Woman after I eat a giant kale salad.

Last but not least, kale salads are perfect for when you’re in the mood for a big meal but don’t want to feel weighed down afterward. They’re especially great during and after the holidays—whether you’ve overindulged in cookies or need a hearty option to offer vegetarians.

There is a right and a wrong way to make kale salad. Kale salads should be dense and delicious, not bitter, poky or difficult to eat. I’m doing my part to spread the news by sharing my best kale salad tips below. You’ll also find twelve of my favorite kale salad recipes. Kale salads to the rescue!

How to Make the Best Kale Salad

1) Remove the ribs.

Regardless of which variety of kale you choose (they all make great salads), you’ll first want to remove the tough ribs from the leaves. Use a chef’s knife (here’s mine) to slice out the stems or just pull the leaves from the ribs with your fingers. The ribs are too chewy and distracting to include in the salad, but you can chop them and sauté them later. Or feed them to your dog, if your dog will eat anything like Cookie!

2) Chop the kale.

Then, you’ll want to chop the kale into pretty small, bite-sized pieces. Eating kale salads made with pieces of giant kale is mighty awkward.

3) Sprinkle with salt.

Next, transfer the kale to a serving bowl and sprinkle it lightly with sea salt (salt helps cut the bitter flavor of kale).

4) Massage the kale.

Yes, this step sounds ridiculous, but it makes all the difference. Reach into the bowl with (clean) hands and start grabbing handfuls of kale. Scrunch, release, scrunch, release. Repeat until the kale is fragrant and dark green. This makes the kale less poky and more palatable. Kale is tough, so don’t worry about damaging the leaves! This step should take 30 seconds or less.

5) Dress the kale.

Drizzle in a bold dressing and massage that into the leaves so the kale is lightly and evenly coated with dressing (this is important!). Kale does particularly well with zippy dressings. If you’ve always followed the standard vinaigrette formula (one part vinegar to three parts oil), you’ll probably want to up the ratio of vinegar for kale salads. I tend to add a little more dressing to kale salads than other green salads.

6) Toss well.

Now is the time to toss in additions like toasted nuts, grated/crumbled cheese and/or chopped raw fruits and veggies. If you have time, let the salad marinate for ten minutes before serving. Ta da! Best kale salad ever.

12 Favorite Kale Salads

Below, you’ll find my twelve favorite kale salads, plus special diet details and comments from readers who can vouch for these salads. I especially love to toss massaged kale with chewy cooked whole grains, like farro or wild rice, and add some creamy soft cheese, like feta or goat cheese. As you’ll see, kale works with a variety of flavors.

1) Farro and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese

Vegetarian

“Made this tonight….quick, easy and SOOO DELICIOUS. Added a couple extra teaspoons of red wine vinegar per your suggestion and that put it over the top. It will be easier to use more of that never ending kale from the garden this summer!! Thank you!” – Cathy

2) Chopped Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini-Maple Dressing

Gluten free

“This is the first recipe I’ve tried from your site, which I’ve visited for several months, and now I’m wondering what’s taken me so long! This salad is delicious, and the dressing combines ingredients I never would have thought to put together, lending a salty, sweet, umami punch (somehow all at once!) to the greens. I’m looking forward to my leftovers at lunch today!” – Lauren

3) Kale, Apple & Goat Cheese Salad with Granola “Croutons”

Gluten free

“I made this for lunch meal prep, and I have to say that it is one of the best salads I’ve ever tasted! It is seriously packed with flavor. I’m already looking forward to eating it again tomorrow! Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks so much for what you do! :)” – Sara

4) Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

Gluten free

“Made this last night and it was delicious! My husband was disappointed when he heard we were having a kale salad for dinner, but the tahini dressing and parm won him over :)” – Alexa

5) Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel, Honeycrisp and Goat Cheese

Gluten free

“I made this salad last night for dinner and had the leftovers this afternoon for lunch and both were absolutely delicious! Love this salad, plan to make it many more times and it’s a great salad to make over the holidays!” – Jena

6) Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce

Gluten free

“My husband and I ate this for dinner tonight, and I really enjoyed it! I eat cooked kale for lunch almost every day, but I don’t really care for raw kale. I’ve never “massaged” kale before, and I was really tempted to just cook it a little to wilt it down, but I decided to try this massage method. I cut the kale in smallish pieces, and it worked really well! I loved all the textures and flavors together, and it’s so healthy. Thanks for a great recipe!” – Kristen

7) Strawberry Kale Salad with Nutty Granola Croutons

Gluten free

“I just found this recipe yesterday and made it right away. This is hands down one of the best salads I have ever had! My husband agrees. This will be a regular at our house! The granola makes enough for many more salads and I assume I can just freeze it to have ready for next time. The fennel seeds really add alot. Thanks for the great recipe!” – Lisa

8) Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing

Gluten free and vegan

“Made this salad last night and it was delicious! The tahini dressing was very good. My son, who just returned from college, loved it. He wants me to make some for his lunch. I have enough dressing left to make another salad. Thanks! I’ve enjoyed eating several of your salads!” – Katherine

9) Mexican(ish) Kale & Quinoa Salad

Gluten free

“Phenomenal salad. One I will make again and again, and will share with my friends and family. Thanks so much, Kate!” – Lisa

10) Deb’s Kale Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pecans

Gluten free

“OMG this is the second kale salad recipe I’ve tried from this blog and I think I had a new favourite vegetable! This is the perfect blend of crunchy, sweet, tart! Thanks for yet another awesome recipe (that my meat eating husband will even eat!) P.S. I did substitute celery for radishes (had to work with what was in the fridge) but I bet the radishes add a great peppery crunch!” – Natalie

11) Kale, Black Bean and Avocado Burrito Bowl

Gluten free and vegan

“I’ve always been obsessed with making my own variation on a burrito bowl, but your recipe takes the cake! Soaking the kale in lime makes it so much easier to integrate into a dish where kale might seem a little out of place. I make this at least once a week, and my husband, a ravenous carnivore, loved it, too!” – Ashley

12) Balsamic Butternut, Kale and Cranberry Panzanella

Vegetarian

“SOOOO Yummy, Kate–this salad was the star of tonight’s supper and the combination of flavors is just perfect. Will definitely do this one again for guests–too delicious not to share. Thank you!” – Cindy

More resources you might appreciate: 23 healthy make-ahead breakfast recipes, 45 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You might also like my monthly seasonal produce guides and essential kitchen tools. View all roundups and resource posts here.

The post 12 Favorite Kale Salads (Plus, How to Make the Best Kale Salad!) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Another kale salad? Yep. I can’t stop eating this one. It’s full of tender massaged kale, chewy cooked whole grains, tangy crumbled goat cheese, toasted almonds and dried cherries. The vinaigrette is intentionally zippy, and it brings it all together.

This salad is a dead ringer for one of my favorite Kansas City salads, the winter farro salad at French Market. It’s a cozy place with grab-and-go salads, amazing pastries and crêpes. The woman behind the counter typically has a lovely French accent. We often stop there on our way out of town for healthy road snacks.

I’ve become quite enamored with their farro salad. Since it’s labeled “winter,” I thought I’d better come up with a homemade version before it’s too late. Here it is!

This salad would be a wonderful hearty vegetarian option on your Easter table. It also packs great for work lunches and spring picnics. Beware, it’s hard to stop eating it once you start.

Watch How to Make Farro & Kale Salad with Goat Cheese

Salad Notes & Tips

• Farro cook times can vary, depending on whether you buy pearled, semi-pearled or whole farro. Sometimes it’s hard to know which one you have, so check the cook time on the label or just test the farro frequently for doneness after about 15 minutes has passed.
• While the farro cooks, you can work on the remaining components (whisk together the dressing, toast the almonds, chop the dried cherries, and massage the kale).
• Yes, I just said “massage the kale.” Sprinkling the chopped kale with a few dashes of salt and repeatedly scrunching it in your hands until darker greens helps do two things. One, it makes the kale taste less bitter and “raw.” Two, it makes the kale more soft and easier to eat, which makes a big difference!
• Keep a watchful eye on the almonds as they toast in the skillet, and stir often. They can go from golden brown to burnt quickly. Freshly toasted nuts add tons of savory flavor and extra-crisp texture—don’t skip this step!
• Once you’ve drained the cooked farro, stir the vinaigrette and dried cherries into the warm farro. The farro will absorb some of that delicious vinaigrette flavor, and the warmth will temper the garlic. The moisture and warmth will also help plump up the cherries a bit.
• Lastly, wait until the farro is almost completely cool to stir it into the kale and add goat cheese. Otherwise, the goat cheese will melt, and your salad won’t be quite as pretty. You can serve the salad immediately, or let it marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

Please let me know how this salad turns out for you in the comments! I really love hearing from you.

Looking for more kale salads? You’ll find more kale salad recipes here.

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Farro and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 large salads

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 125 reviews

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You’re going to love this delicious and nutritious kale and farro salad recipe! It’s full of hearty greens and chewy whole grains, plus flavorful toasted almonds, crumbled goat cheese, dried cherries and tangy vinaigrette. Recipe yields 4 large salads or up to 8 side salads.

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 big bunch curly green kale, ribs removed and chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup raw sliced almonds
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped dried cherries or cranberries
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

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Instructions

1. To cook the farro, in a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro with at least three cups water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches). Add the salt, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy. (Pearled farro will take around 15 minutes; unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes.) Drain off the excess water and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, place the chopped kale in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle it with a few dashes of salt and massage it with your hands by scrunching up large handfuls at a time until it’s darker and more fragrant (this makes the kale taste less bitter and makes it easier to eat). Set aside.
3. To toast the almonds, pour them into a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (careful, they can burn), until the almonds are fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the almonds into the bowl of massaged kale.
4. To prepare the vinaigrette, simply whisk the ingredients together in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Set aside.
5. Once the farro has been cooked and drained, stir in the chopped dried cherries (so they have a chance to plump up a bit) and vinaigrette (the heat will temper the garlic a bit).
6. Once the farro has cooled down to room temperature or close to it, stir it into the kale mixture. Gently crumble most of the goat cheese into the salad and lightly stir. Taste, and if the salad doesn’t taste amazing yet, stir in more vinegar by the teaspoon until it does.
7. Crumble the remaining goat cheese on top of the salad. Serve promptly, or refrigerate for later. This salad keeps well for four to five days in the refrigerator, covered.

Notes

Recipe inspired by the winter farro salad at French Market in Prairie Village, Kansas.

Make it gluten free: Substitute wild rice (cooked according to package directions) for the farro. Long-grain brown rice would be ok, too.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the goat cheese. If you really want a creamy element, you could drizzle a little bit of my vegan sour cream over individual servings.

Make it nut free: Replace the almonds with pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Vegetarian

The post Farro and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Apple season is here! I’m usually so sad to see summer and its glorious produce go, but I’m actually looking forward to slowing down this fall. I’m going to bust out my cozy jackets and boots from their hiding places and take my dog Cookie out to admire the changing leaves.

To celebrate the beginning of fall, I made a big kale salad with chopped apple and a lemony maple and mustard dressing. Goat cheese, cranberries and savory granola—yes, granola on a salad—round it out and make this salad a full meal.

I’m fully smitten with this granola-as-croutons concept, since I never have a loaf of crusty bread when I need it. You can toss it together in no time at all, and you’ll end up with plenty for two salads.

As you’ve probably heard already, old-fashioned oats offer a number of beneficial qualities—they’re a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals—so these croutons are more redeeming than most.

Let’s talk about how to modify this salad to take advantage of the extra produce you might find yourself with this season. You can replace the apples with roasted vegetables (sweet potato and Brussels sprouts are great), the kale with chopped spinach, and the goat cheese with cheddar or Parmesan. With those granola croutons, you can’t go wrong!

Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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Kale, Apple and Goat Cheese Salad with Granola Croutons

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 medium salads
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 34 reviews

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Nutty granola croutons complete this salad made with massaged raw kale, crisp chopped apple, and crumbled goat cheese tossed in a tangy lemon dressing. This recipe yields 4 medium salads, and twice as much granola as you’ll need—it stores well for future salads.

Ingredients

Granola “croutons”

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup roughly chopped pecans
• ½ cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg white, beaten
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

Lemony maple mustard dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• Hefty pinch of fine sea salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Kale salad

• 1 large bunch or 2 small bunches (12 ounces) curly green kale 
• 1 medium Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Fuji apple
• 2 ounces chilled goat cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
• ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries

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Instructions

1. To make the granola: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, pecans, pepitas, sunflower seeds, salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Stir in the beaten egg white, oil, and maple syrup until well blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, gently stirring the granola halfway, about 15 to 17 minutes. Let the granola cool on the baking sheet.
2. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup and salt. Season with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and whisk until blended. The dressing should be zippy, but if it’s overwhelmingly tart, stir in another teaspoon of sweetener. Or, if it needs some extra oomph, stir in another pinch of salt.
3. To prepare the kale, use a chef’s knife to remove the tough ribs from the kale, then discard the ribs (or feed them to your dog!). Chop the kale leaves into small, bite-sized pieces. Transfer the chopped kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.
4. To assemble the salad, drizzle all of the dressing over the kale and toss well. Add the chopped apple, crumbled goat cheese, cranberries, and about half of the granola. Gently toss to combine, and serve. This salad will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.
5. Save the leftover granola for a snack or another salad. Store it in an air-tight bag with the air squeezed out for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, or several months in the freezer.

Notes

Make it egg free: Omit the egg white (your granola may be done a couple of minutes early, and won’t clump together quite as much).

Make it vegan: Omit the egg white and omit the goat cheese or replace it with a diced avocado.

Make it dairy free: Omit the goat cheese or replace it with a diced avocado.

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad

The post Kale, Apple & Goat Cheese Salad with Granola “Croutons” appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Have you ever ordered a kale salad on a first date and tried to gracefully consume a meal of giant, wayward kale leaves? Awkward. Regretful. Ugh. I’m on a mission to change that. I won’t quit creating new kale salad recipes until we can all walk into a restaurant and consistently receive a great kale salad. Based on some recent experiences, I declare that my work here is far from done.

Here’s how to make a kale salad that’s better than those sad restaurant salads. First, remove those tough ribs from the kale, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and massage it to minimize the poky factor and improve the flavor. (Yes, massage it. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s worth it! See instructions below.) Drizzle in a bold salad dressing and toss until it’s completely coated (I always use more dressing on kale salads than other green salads). Add some fun flavors and textures and you will have yourself a great kale salad.

I say all of this to defend kale salads against mentions that they’re “too trendy” or overdone. But kale salads, when made properly, can make truly delicious, crave-able meals. Those kinds of meals don’t go out of style. Right? Let’s make kale salad a classic like pizza and mac and cheese. We’ll all be better off for it.

This salad is the mac and cheese of kale salads, if you will. It’s creamy thanks to a bold tahini dressing, which makes this salad seem way more indulgent that it actually is. I packed in more flavor and texture with freshly toasted sunflower seeds and briny olives and pepper rings that I cannot resist. Chickpeas offer some protein and up the hearty factor. I’ve been craving heavy, cheesy comfort foods lately, but I legitimately can’t wait to get home and polish off this kale salad. I hope you feel the same!

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Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 side servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 73 reviews

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This healthy Greek kale salad recipe is full of bold Mediterranean flavors. It packs great for lunch, too. Recipe yields 2 large meal-sized servings, or 4 medium side salads.

Ingredients

Kale salad

• 1 medium bunch of curly green kale (about 8 ounces)
• Fine sea salt
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
• ½ cup thinly sliced Kalamata olives and/or roughly chopped pepper rings
• ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained
• ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan (optional)
• ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Creamy tahini dressing

• 1⁄4 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 to 1 ½ lemons)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. To prepare the salad: Place the chopped kale in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle it lightly with salt and massage it with your hands by scrunching up large handfuls at a time until it’s darker and more fragrant (this makes the kale more tasty and easier to eat). Add the chickpeas, olives and/or pepper rings, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan (if using). Set aside.
2. To toast the sunflower seeds, combine the seeds with the olive oil and a few dashes of salt in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the seeds are fragrant and turning lightly golden at the edges, about 5 minutes. Pour the toasted seeds into the salad bowl.
3. To prepare the salad dressing: In a small liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and salt. Whisk until blended. Add the water and whisk until blended. Season generously with freshly black pepper, to taste.
4. Pour the dressing into the salad (you might not need quite all of it, but I did). Toss until the salad is evenly coated with dressing. Serve immediately. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the Parmesan. You might like a light sprinkle of nutritional yeast to make up for it.
If you love this recipe: Check out more kale salads here.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: Greek

The post Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Finishing a cookbook, or any massive project, really, is terrifying. A few nights ago, after I stayed up too late looking for any remaining last-minute issues, I tossed and turned while Oxford commas and the names of various ground spices bounced around in my head.

I finally woke up from a dream that I skateboarded, belly down, all the way to my parent’s house. I arrived to find that my family had eaten all of the chocolate cake. Dad!

Last night, I reviewed the book for the final time—truly, the last time—to make sure all of my requests had been implemented. I sent it back, fully apprehensive, with my mind full of second-guesses and self-doubt. Did I overdo it on the dog pictures? Are people going to take this book seriously? It’s very colorful. Are the recipes in the order that they should be?

That margarita photo that I was so proud of last year—I want to redo it because the ice cube is out of focus. It’s too late. And the little clock icon isn’t in quite the right place on page 197. Surely they can fix that part. (Update: they fixed it.) Send help, or wine. I’m losing it over here.

At least I have been eating better lately. I just polished off the last of this salad for lunch. I’ve had the concept floating around since I made my herbed quinoa and chickpea salad. It was so good that I started craving a Mexican version, and this is it. Sort of.

I used sun-dried tomatoes because regular tomatoes are out of season, and because they offer more intense flavor. I used green onions instead of red, because raw red onion so often overpowers other flavors.

I added kale for some redeeming greens, but you could use spinach instead, if you’d rather. I used feta instead of authentic Mexican Cotija cheese, as usual, since I can’t ever find Cotija.

The rest—black beans, pepitas, cilantro, jalapeño, lime, and cumin—are all standard Mexican ingredients. It’s a great salad, perfect for resetting after indulgent holidays. Hope you love it!

Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa

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Mexican(ish) Kale & Quinoa Salad

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 53 reviews

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Healthy kale and quinoa salad recipe with Mexican flavors, including black beans, pepitas, and a cumin-lime dressing. Gluten free, easily vegan (skip the cheese), and packs great for lunch. Recipe yields 4 medium servings.

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 small bunch of curly green or Tuscan kale, tough ribs removed and chopped into small pieces (or about 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach)
• Fine sea salt
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onions or finely chopped red onion
• ½ cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
• 1 to 2 medium jalapeños, seeds and membranes removed, chopped

Cumin-lime dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 medium limes)
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

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Instructions

1. To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, which gives it time to fluff up.
2. Meanwhile, toast the pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Place the chopped kale in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle it lightly with salt and massage it with your hands by scrunching up large handfuls at a time until it’s darker and more fragrant (this makes the kale more tasty and easier to eat). Add the cooked quinoa, toasted pepitas, drained beans, onions, cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes, feta (if using), and jalapeño(s). Set aside.
4. To prepare the dressing, combine the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, the cumin and salt in a cup or jar. Whisk until blended. Pour all of the dressing over the salad and stir until the salad is evenly coated. Taste, and add another tablespoon of lime juice (I like this salad to be pretty zippy) and/or more salt, if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
5. This salad keeps well, covered and chilled, for about 3 days. You might want to wake up leftovers with an extra squeeze of lime juice and a dash of salt.

Notes

Recipe inspired by my Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta cheese.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Mexican(ish) Kale & Quinoa Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Now that the cookbook insanity has calmed down, I’m trying to get back to better habits. Taste testing all day can be tiresome, and the regular breakfast/lunch/dinner routine flies out the window pretty fast.

I know, you think it sounds so great, until your belly is full and you’re staring down yet another muffin. That’s usually when I go on a tirade about the subjectivity of flavor and want to sit on the beach with some multiplication flash cards. At least you always get the right answer with math.

I’ve resolved to get more sleep and eat a big green salad every day, and I’ve been keeping my salad resolution as long as the supplies are ready. Pre-washed greens and homemade salad dressing are the two key ingredients. Leftover cooked grains are great to have on hand, too. They add bulk and sticking power.

Today, I thought I’d share my favorite combination, for those who are in a salad rut. It starts with a base of massaged kale and warmed, leftover cooked grains (I’m partial to long-grain brown rice and farro, but quinoa is great, too), and random veggies from the vegetable drawer.

The kicker is a super flavorful lime, jalapeño and cilantro dressing, which is creamy, thanks to some tangy tahini. This salad would keep great until lunchtime, if you’re packing your lunch, and it’s also easy to throw together at home. Hooray for salads!

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Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 32 reviews

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This super versatile kale salad features an amazing tahini dressing. Just add massaged kale, leftover cooked grains and veggies from your crisper drawer. Recipe yields 1 hearty meal-sized salad, so multiply as necessary.

Ingredients

Per salad

• ½ medium bunch kale, preferably the Tuscan/lacinato variety, or several handfuls of your favorite greens
• 1 cup leftover cooked grains (I love brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, farro or wheat berries…)
• 2 carrots, sliced into long ribbons with a julienne peeler or regular veggie peeler
• 1 radish, thinly sliced and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds, toasted
• More ideas: halved cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, chopped bell pepper, whatever else strikes your fancy…

Green tahini dressing (yields about ¾ cup, so you’ll have plenty for future salads)

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup lime juice (about 3 to 4 medium limes)
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño, seeds and membranes removed, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 ½ teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• ¼ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt, to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for extra heat

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Instructions

1. To prepare the kale (skip this step if you’re using any other kind of fresh green), first use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the center ribs from the kale, then discard the ribs. Chop the kale into small, bite-sized pieces. Then, sprinkle the kale lightly with salt, and massage the kale by scrunching handfuls at a time until the kale is darker in color and fragrant. This step reduces the bitterness in the kale and improves its texture.
2. In a bowl, combine the prepared kale, leftover grains (I like to warm mine a bit in the microwave first), carrot, radishes, toasted pepitas, and/or your toppings of choice.
3. To make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste, and blend in additional salt if the dressing needs a little more oomph. If you’d like spicier dressing, blend in a pinch of red pepper flakes. If the dressing is too bold for your liking, dilute it with a little more olive oil and blend again.
4. Drizzle the green tahini dressing generously over the salad (you’ll still have plenty leftover) and enjoy.

Notes

Make it gluten free: Be sure to use a gluten-free option like rice or quinoa.

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

Storage suggestions: This dressing keeps well, refrigerated, for about 1 week.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

The post Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Sometimes, I like to imagine that I live a more glamorous food blogger existence. One in which lunch is more than a hodgepodge of cookbook leftovers, and I make myself proper dinners every night. This all takes place in my lovely, subway-tiled, self-cleaning kitchen (a girl can dream!).

My reality is far different. I’ve been intensely focused on photographing the breakfast chapter for my cookbook, so I have been living in yoga pants and surviving on scones lately. My dining table has moved to the middle of my living room, and a tripod now stands where my coffee table usually goes. Everything is a mess.

With impeccable timing, Blue Apron offered to send me three meal’s worth of ingredients (two portions each), complete with simple instructions on how to make them. They basically fed me a proper lunch for the first time in a week. It was amazing. I could have cried.

When life gets super busy, it’s so easy for healthy meals to fall by the wayside. Good dinners are more than just fuel—they’re a time to rest, recharge and connect with friends and family. They’re important, and they don’t make themselves.

Blue Apron makes dinners easier by shipping perfectly portioned, sustainably produced ingredients with simple, chef-created menus. I almost felt a little guilty accepting outside help, and I was worried about creating more waste with extra packaging. I was relieved when I opened the box to see that they have totally minimized the packaging (no styrofoam!), and even offer recycling programs. I’m going to ship my box back to them (for free) via USPS—here’s more information about their recycling options.

During this hectic time, it was quite a relief to know that I had all the ingredients I needed waiting for me in the refrigerator. Blue Apron deliveries seem like a perfect solution for particularly busy weeks, or for date nights in, or for the first week at a new house. I can see myself gifting a shipment to new parents who love to cook, too.

So today, I’m sharing the delightful roasted sweet potato and farro salad that Blue Apron shipped to me. It’s something that I would normally cook, but I wouldn’t have thought to add a Middle Eastern spin to it with mint, ricotta salata and sumac. Sumac is a reddish spice with a delicious, almost lemony, tart flavor.

You can peruse more of Blue Apron’s recipes over here, no membership or purchase required. If you want to try Blue Apron for yourself, they’re offering a special to Cookie and Kate readers—the first 50 readers will get two free meals on their first Blue Apron order! Just click here.

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Mediterranean Roasted Sweet Potato & Farro Salad

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 2 to 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 34 reviews

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This hearty roasted sweet potato and farro salad has delicious a Middle Eastern spin to it, thanks to the sumac, lemon, mint and ricotta salata. Recipe yields 2 large servings or 3 to 4 more modest servings.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup farro (the semi-pearled variety cooks faster)
• 1 pound sweet potatoes (1 large or 2 small), peeled and sliced into 1” cubes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 teaspoons ground sumac (optional but recommended)
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale (also known as Lacinato kale), ribs removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar or honey or maple syrup
• 1 medium lemon
• 1 handful fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped hazelnuts
• ⅓ cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled salata cheese or feta cheese (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. To cook the farro: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the farro, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy (pearled farro will take as little as 15 minutes; unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes). Drain off the excess water and return the farro to the pot. Set aside.
2. To roast the sweet potatoes: Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place the cubed sweet potato on the pan and drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the sumac over the sweet potatoes, followed by salt and pepper, then toss until the sweet potatoes are thoroughly coated in oil and spices. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until they are caramelized on the edges and tender when pierced with a fork.
3. To pickle the onion: In a small pan or medium pot, combine the onion, vinegar, sugar and ½ cup water. Cook over medium heat, occasionally swirling the pan, for 4 to 8 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is slightly reduced in volume. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Once the farro is done cooking, add the chopped kale to the pot. Drizzle with olive oil, then stir to combine. Season with salt (I added ¼ teaspoon) and pepper, to taste.
5. To assemble the salad: Drain the excess liquid from the pickled onions, then add the onions to the pot of farro and kale. Add the roasted sweet potatoes and squeeze an entire lemon’s worth of juice into the pot. Stir to combine and season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the salad into individual bowls and top each one with mint leaves, chopped hazelnuts and crumbled cheese.

Notes

Recipe courtesy of Blue Apron.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Skip the cheese. Vegans, use either sugar or maple syrup for the pickled onions.
Make it gluten free: I think ¾ cup cooked wild rice or wild rice blend would be a great substitute for the farro.
Make it nut free: Substitute toasted pepitas for the hazelnuts.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

This post was created in partnership with Blue Apron and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!

The post Mediterranean Roasted Sweet Potato & Farro Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Food blogging has its perks. Sometimes, people offer to send me cookbooks. Sometimes, I find recipes in said books worth sharing with you all. This recipe, by Gena Hamshaw of Choosing Raw and the author of Food52 Vegan: 60 Vegetable-Driven Recipes for Any Kitchen, is one of them.

This recipe jumped out to me since savory sweet potatoes, kale, quinoa and pesto are a few of my favorite ingredients. It also seemed like a salad that would pack well for yesterday’s flights, and it did. I feel so accomplished when I arrive at the airport with a healthy meal in tow. Which, to be clear, is almost never. It’s a miracle when I remember to bring socks!

I found the final kicker in Gena’s headnote, which suggested that this is a salad for August or September, when basil is plentiful at farmers’ markets and sweet potatoes are just becoming available. Since September is almost over, I thought I’d better hurry up and make it.

I’m generally inclined to throw feta or goat cheese into my salads, so this salad was an exercise in restraint for me. I was also tempted to toss in some dried cranberries, too, or substitute pepitas for sunflower seeds, but it’s honestly just right as is. Note to self: less can be more, especially when an outrageously flavorful pesto-inspired dressing is involved.

I’m exploring the Pittsburgh area today with DeLallo and friends, so I’m signing off early. Be sure to let me know what you think of this salad and check out Gena’s book, Food52 Vegan, if you’re interested in vegan cooking or looking for dairy-free inspiration!

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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale & Pesto Vinaigrette

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 48 reviews

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This hearty vegan quinoa salad features crisp and tender roasted sweet potato, toasted sunflower seeds and an outrageously flavorful, pesto-inspired dressing. It would be a great light dinner on its own, or a suitable side salad for soups and sandwiches. It packs great for lunches, too! Recipe yields 4 medium servings.

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about ¾ pound total), peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 ¾ cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups stemmed and finely chopped curly kale
• ½ cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds*
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Pesto dressing

• ½ cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup firmly packed fresh parsley leaves
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. To prepare the sweet potatoes, transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and toss them with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then toss and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until tender and browning. Set the pan aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, combine the rinsed quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid, about 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool.
4. To make the vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until mostly smooth, but with small pieces of herbs still visible.
5. Transfer the chopped kale to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and then use your hands to “massage” the kale, grabbing big handfuls at a time and gently squeezing them in your fist until the kale is darker in color and more fragrant, about 15 seconds.
6. Add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, sunflower seeds and sliced basil to the bowl. Drizzle with about ⅓ cup dressing and gently toss until all of the ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and mix in more dressing if desired (you may want to use all of it).
7. Serve the salad at room temperature or cold. Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days.

Notes

Recipe reprinted with permission from Food52 Vegan, by Gena Hamshaw, copyright © 2015, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Change it up: Butternut would be a great substitution for the sweet potato, as would pepitas for the sunflower seeds.
*How to toast your own sunflower seeds: If you only have raw, unsalted sunflower seeds at home (like me), toast them in a small skillet over medium heat with ¼ teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook until they’re turning lightly golden on the edges, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad

The post Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale & Pesto Vinaigrette appeared first on Cookie and Kate.