Kale haters, unite! Because this creamy kale salad might just change your mind. Complete with a savory sunflower seed butter dressing, crispy sweet potatoes, and protein-rich quinoa, this dish is packed to the rim with so many goodies, many forget it is even a salad.
Salad Elements:
Let’s start with the kale. When making salads, I typically go for the red or lacinato (aka dinosaur or tuscan) kale. The red variety is typically sweeter, and the leaves of lacinato are thinner, making it much easier to eat. Now, let’s talk preparation.
To prepare the Kale:
- First, submerge the kale in cold water, and move it around or gently squish it with your hands to remove any excess dirt or bugs. Then, dry the kale with a clean, towel or use a salad spinner if you have it.
- Next, remove the large, thick stems that run up the middle using a knife. If there are additional thick or tough stems running through the kale in other spots, remove those as well. Chop or tear the kale into bite-sized pieces.
- Last, massage the leaves with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. This not only adds a bright, lemony flavor to the kale, but it also begins the process of breaking down the fiber, making it easier to chew, eat, and digest.
Next, comes the quinoa.
- I almost always go for the rainbow (or tri-color) quinoa, but any variety will do! For more information about the different varieties of quinoa, click here.
- In the grocery store, you will find this grain near the rice, pasta, or in the international foods aisle. It’s also readily available in the bulk bins or the baking aisle of most natural foods stores.
- To cook the quinoa, follow the package instructions or if using quinoa from the bulk section, follow these instructions to make perfectly fluffy quinoa every time.
Then, we have the sweet potatoes.
- When choosing sweet potatoes, you’ll want to look for small to medium-size sweet potatoes that are firm, with smooth skin and few bruises or cracks.
- Like the kale, you’ll want to wash each potato thoroughly with cold water. Use a scrub brush to remove any excess dirt, then dry the potatoes with a clean towel before chopping them up into bite-sized chunks.
- Use the mustard, garlic, and smoked paprika combo like you would a marinade– allow the potatoes to sit in this marinade for as long as possible to soak in as much flavor before you begin roasting.
In a large salad bowl, layer the massaged kale, followed by the quinoa, the sweet potatoes, and a generous drizzle of the dressing. Top it off with toasted pistachios and dig in!
SunButter and Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large sweet potatoes cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon *smoked paprika
- ¼ cup pistachios shelled
- ½ cup quinoa, cooked
Dressing
- ¼ cup *SunButter, unsalted
- ½ large lime, juiced
- 1 pinch salt season to taste
- 3-4 tablespoons water, for thinning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cubed sweet potatoes, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Spread evenly across a large baking tray, and bake for ~45 mins or until fork tender, tossing halfway through.
- While the potatoes are roasting, massage the kale with your hands using lemon juice, salt, and pepper for 2-3 minutes and then set aside. This step may seem silly, but it is essential! It will help soften the kale and it also aids in the digestion process.
- Toast your pistachios for 3-4 minutes either in the oven with the potatoes, or on the stovetop in a dry pan until golden and fragrant.
- For the dressing, whisk together the SunButter, the lime juice, salt. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed. The dressing should be thick and very creamy, but still relatively easy to pour.
Salad Construction
- In a large salad bowl, layer the massaged kale, followed by the quinoa, the sweet potatoes, a generous drizzle of the dressing, and top it off with the toasted pistachios. Dig in!
Notes
- SunButter is found alongside peanut butter and tahini in most grocery stores. used for the salad dressing
- Smoked Paprika best price (that I have found) is at Whole Foods (365 Brand) for $3.19!
Did you make this? Comment below and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to follow @sunnyandspiced on Instagram for more travel eats and plant based recipes.
s & S