Warm Kale Salad
This hearty salad is filled so many fall flavors. Savor this cozy dish of warm veggies, crisp apples, crunchy maple roasted pecans, creamy feta cheese and tossed in a light apple cider maple vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches curly kale
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1-2 apples
- ½ cup maple pecans
- 1 tbsp pepitas pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup feta cheese
- salt & pepper
Maple Roasted Pecans:
- 2 cups pecans
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar with the mother
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Maple Roasted Pecans
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl mix together all of the maple pecan ingredients.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the mixed pecans evenly on the sheet.
- Bake for 5 minutes and stir the pecans. Bake for another few minutes (we baked ours for 8 total) being sure to keep a close watch so that the pecans do not burn.
- Remove the roasted pecans from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Roasted butternut squash
- Now set the oven to 375 degrees F. Peel the butternut squash and cut it in half lengthwise.
- Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh from the squash and discard.
- Cut the squash into small squares.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and spread the squash out evenly on the pan.
- Lightly spray with cooking oil (we used avocado oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes stirring occasionally.
Preparing the salad
- Cut the kale leaves from the stems and chop into pieces. Place the chopped leaves into a colander and rinse with water.
- Set the colander aside to allow the water to drain.
- Wash and core the apples and cut into thin slices.
- Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl, whisk to combine and set aside.
- Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the drained kale leaves to the pan in stages so that the pan doesn't get overcrowded and the kale evenly cooks.
- Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and toss in the pan until the leaves start to become wilted and transfer to a large bowl.
- Repeat until all of the kale has been cooked.
- To assemble the salad start by adding the roasted butternut squash on top of the bowl of cooked kale.
- Top with the maple pecan, apple slices, pepitas and feta cheese.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
Store the extra maple pecans in an airtight container
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 9gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 244mgPotassium: 1155mgFiber: 7gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 26528IUVitamin C: 120mgCalcium: 320mgIron: 3mg
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