Warm Kale Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I can not believe that it has taken me this long to post a recipe for kale.  Kale is one of my favorite foods and eat it all the time.  I guess it was because I mostly just eat it raw in salads and that doesn’t really make for a great recipe.  Now that the weather is getting colder (even here is Arizona) it is nice to switch up the typical raw salad with one that warms your insides.  I am so excited to share this recipe with you…eeek!  I love kale and I hope you will too!

This salad is so beautiful and yummy that it would make a perfect side dish for any upcoming holiday dinner.  In fact this is what I will be bringing to Thanksgiving this year.  My family hasn’t eaten a lot of kale and serving it warm is a great way to introduce kale into your diet.  The kale gets soft and the flavor more mellow which isn’t so grassy for people that may not be used to it.  I love introducing more people to my favorite green and what better way then pairing it with seasonal ingredients whose nutrients are at their peak.

I know more and more people are eating kale so it may not be totally new to everybody.  I know more people are at least buying it because sometimes when I go grocery shopping and go to reach for my friend kale, it is sold out….NOOOOOOO.

Many years ago you probably saw kale as just a garnish on your plate at a restaurant and never even thought twice about it.  Kale is a super food and one of the nutritious foods on the planet.

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli or cabbage.  It has numerous nutrients that protect against inflammation and cancer.

Kale may also play a role in detoxifying our bodies (getting rid of toxins).

Kale’s health benefits are primarily due to the high concentration of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K.

The fiber content can help lower blood cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease.

I love to switch up my vegetables and eat a variety of greens to make sure I am getting the nutritional benefits of all plants.  Have you tried kale?  If so, how do you like to eat it?  If no, what is keeping you from trying it?

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Course Salad

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Author Sara

Ingredients

• 2 Heads Kale curly or lacinato kale aka flat leaf- I used flat leaf, stems removed with a knife or your hands and roughly chopped or torn with your hands
• 1/2 cup wild rice cooked
• 1 small butternut squash or 1/2 large cut into 1/2 in cubes
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 leek or yellow onion thinly sliced
• 1 Pomegranate seeded
• 3/4 cup raw walnuts lightly chopped
• Dressing:
• 1/2 cup whole cranberries
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 Tbsp honey
• Pinch sea salt
• 2 Tbsp water

Instructions

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a blender and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Coat the butternut squash with 1 Tbsp coconut oil and half pinch of salt.
4. Bake squash until tender about 15-20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile in a large saute pan melt remaining 1 Tbsp coconut oil and saute leeks until tender about 5 minutes.
6. Add the kale to the leeks and saute until wilted about 5 minutes.
7. Add the cooked wild rice, butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts.
8. Toss to combined.
9. Season to taste with sea salt.
10. Right before serving drizzle on the cranberry vinaigrette.

Recipe Notes

*Choose organic ingredients when possible.

Dressing lasts in the fridge for up to one week.