Fall Kale Salad

This is a short love story about kale. Sure, you might throw it into the “basic” category and roll your eyes at my last sentence, but I’m not just into it because it’s shown up on menu’s everywhere. In terms of nutritional value, kale is an incredibly nutrient-dense green. It has more iron per calorie than beef, more calcium per calorie than milk, is super high in Vitamins A + K, and is packed with fiber. On top of that, it’s fibrous nature makes for non-wilty salads that stand up to any dressing and will actually last for days (I repeat, it does NOT wilt). It’s perfect for juices or smoothies and is one of my favorite greens to saute with some olive oil and lemon (say goodbye to soggy spinach).

Now that you understand why I love kale and stand firmly by my trendy decision, let’s get into this salad. It’s my favorite fall/winter salad of all time and is inspired by a restaurant that I used to work at back in NYC (s/o to Boulton & Watt)– where I’d literally order it twice a week. Served warm or cold, it has the best variety of flavors and textures, while being so nutritious and filling. There are a few separate steps you have to take to cook things individually, but I promise it all comes together pretty easily and if you make a big enough batch, you MAY be able to make it last a few days (good luck with that).

Packed with protein, fiber, and plenty of vitamins, it’s the perfect lunch, dinner, or even side salad to a bigger meal (hello, Thanksgiving!).

Kale salad with quinoa, butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, and onions in a bowl.

RECIPE:

(serves 3-4)

2 cups kale, packed
1 small onion (any kind)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
2 cups cooked butternut squash (~1 small one)
1/2 cup quinoa (raw)
drizzle of maple syrup or honey
dressing: used this honey mustard one (you can cut it in half or a third for this salad)

TO MAKE:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cube the butternut squash. Drizzle with olive or avocado oil, salt + pepper. Cook for about 30-35 minutes, until soft and slightly browned. Longer if desired.

In the meantime, cook the quinoa by adding it to a pot with 1.5 cups of water, stock, or a mix of both. Bring it to a boil and then cover and lower to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. It will be fluffy and absorb all of the water when done.

Thinly slice the onions and add to a pan over low heat with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Slowly cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. After about 5 minutes, drizzle a little maple syrup or honey in for caramelization.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little olive, avocado or coconut oil. Add in the washed, de-stemmed, and roughly chopped kale. Stir and add in salt + pepper. You want it to be cooked well, but not wilted– total time is about 5-7 minutes.

Once everything is done, toss with your dressing of choice and add in the pomegranate seeds. Toss again to combine.

Note: Don’t worry about timing this all perfectly, there are a few moving parts so when something is done, just let it sit on low or remove it from the heat completely. This salad is best at room temperature or the next few days cold. I wouldn’t recommend heating it after being stored.