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Bowl of Fall kale salad with pear and sweet potato.

Fall Kale Salad with Pear and Sweet Potato

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

For kale salad

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice from about 1/2 a large lemon
  • 1 large pear
  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 chopped roasted pecans or walnuts

For balsamic dressing

  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp stone ground mustard
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Begin by cooking the quinoa. Add the quinoa to with a pan with 3 cups water and simmer over medium low heat until the quinoa is cooked through. You can tell its cooked through when there is no longer a light colored spot in the middle. Once cooked, set aside or in the fridge to cool.
  • Dice the sweet potatoes and coat them with the olive oil and cinnamon. Bake in a 425° F oven for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and start to color.
  • While the potatoes cook, de-stem the kale by running a knife along either side of the stem. Then chop the kale in to bite-sized pieces.
  • Put the kale pieces into a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over top. Massage the kale between your fingers and palm for about 5 minutes until all the kale has turned a dark green color. This step helps make the kale easier to chew and the lemon juice helps enhance and brighten the flavor of the kale.
  • Dice the pear and add to the top of the kale, along with the pecans, raisins, cooled quinoa, and sweet potatoes.
  • To make the maple balsamic dressing, add the ingredients to a blender and blend until combined, then pour over the salad ingredients and toss until everything is coated.
Keyword balsamic, kale, maple, pear, raisin, sweet potato