This Autumn Salad of kale and warm honey mustard vinaigrette with sweet potatoes, dried cranberries and toasted pumpkin seeds is the perfect salad for parties and potlucks. 

I have brought this salad to parties at least ten times, and it’s always the first to go and the star of the table. I’ve seen cupcakes, cookies and other foods have to go back home, but never this salad. No matter how large of a bowl I bring, there is never enough.

You can mix the kale with other greens if you choose to, as I did in this version with arugula.

This is a perfect potluck salad because you  can have everything ready within twenty minutes in the morning, and then put it all together with the dressing about three to four  hours in advance. The marination massages the kale, and brings it to a place that is very different than what most people think.

People will appreciate seeing a green sitting on the table that is gorgeous, appetizing and satisfying. It might make them feel better about the dips and chips and sweets they are also eating, and for those who are into that paleo craze, they will stop and thank you.

This is that perfect salad for this time of year, whether it’s a tail gating party, Halloween, or Thanksgiving, because you dress the salad at least two hours in advance. At Christmas, you can just add in some pomegranate seeds. I’ve learned that while people love the cookies and treats at a Holiday party, they are so grateful to see a good salad.

I used sweet potatoes, but you can use butternut squash.

I used toasted pumpkin seeds, but you can use toasted pecans, almonds or walnuts.

Add in some chopped up crispy pancetta or bacon.  Add in citrus for some brightness if you have it on hand.

Make a Warm Vinaigrette with Maple Syrup

I used a warm honey mustard vinaigrette that can be made with maple syrup. Either works incredibly well. If you don’t have time to dress the salad ahead, warm the dressing. It will relax the kale. Also add the pumpkin seeds  and sweet potatoes when they are hot. Kale can handle this.

The KEY to this salad is to taste it before serving, make sure it’s seasoned with enough salt and pepper. 

If  there is salad left over,  just refrigerate and sauté the left overs in a pan. It takes on a slightly different melted down texture, but still remains somewhat structured and it’s very good. The only thing I would not add to this salad is cheese, which I think would drown the nice flavors the sweet potato brings.

The dressing is sweetened by either honey or maple syrup to offset the heavy dose of vinegar and the punch of mustard, but it is so good. It’s going to taste a bit vinegary when you taste it, but will settle down as the kale takes hold of it.

This particular kale salad is similar to the one I made here, but I gave it an Autumn twist.

Tell me, do you take salads to parties? Are you ready for the Fall flavors?

If you really love kale salads, you might want to try this Tuscan Kale Salad  with a lemony dressing.

More Kale Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Tuscan Kale Salad with Almonds
• Kale Smoothie
• Melted Kale
• Kale Risotto
• Kale Stir Fry with Ground Beef, Pancetta, Peas
• Salmon with Crispy Kale
• How to Freeze Kale for Smoothies
• Kale Apple Salad with Maple Dressing

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Autumn Salad: Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Pumpkin Seeds, Cranberries, Warm Maple Vinaigrette

A perfect Autumn Salad that is good for any party or Fall gathering. Sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, pears and apples give color, taste and texture.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 bunches lacinato kale the long skinny kind aka Tuscan kale
• roasted sweet pototoes
• 1 small apple or pear
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or nuts of your choice
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• Warmed Maple Vinaigrette

For Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2 sweet potatoes peeled, cubed or one large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• dash cinnamon
• dash nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon tumeric optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Warm Maple Vinaigrette

• 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 12 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Wash and dry kale.
• Remove ribs from kale. I used a sharp knife to cut out the ribs.
• Cut kale into bite size pieces.
• Slice apple and pear into thin slices, leaving skin on, or cube, whichever you prefer.
• Add in just enough dressing to salad to wet the leaves. Save some of the dressing to add in warm right before serving. At that point, I’ll warm up the dressing in the microwave.
• Add warmed roasted sweet potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin seeds, saving some of each for top of bowl. Gently toss so as to not break up sweet potatoes.
• Season with salt the pepper.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

• Mix olive oil with cayenne, cinnamon, maple syrup, nutmeg.
• Toss potatoes in this oil, using just enough to wet potatoes.
• Roast for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, until potatoes are soft, but still firm.
• You can toast the pumpkin seeds at this time. They only take 5 minutes.

Warmed Cider Vinaigrette

• Put all the ingredients in blender and blend until thoroughly emulsified. If using a Vitamix put the garlic clove in whole. If using a blender, dice the garlic first.
• You will want to dress the kale at least an hour in advance. This breaks down the kale.

The post Prepare Ahead Kale Salad: Sweet Potatoes, Maple Vinaigrette appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Chicken Salad is like my second favorite pair of jeans. I tend to forget about them, but when I do, I’m wondering why they were pushed to the back of the closet.  The answer is that I’ve gotten into a rut grabbing that same pair of jeans  and forgetting about the ones that have a little bling on them and help to mix things up a bit.

When I make a roast chicken (which is often), I tend to have chicken breast meat left over and do lots of things with it, but forget about chicken salad, until yesterday. Maybe it was because I had everything I needed to make it great, but as I was pulling the chicken salad together, it dawned on me as to why I forget about it.

Chicken salad can be boring and bland, and that usually makes me want to add more and more mayonnaise, which is the wrong solution to this problem.

I realized the thing most missing is chicken salad is acid!

Fat, salt and acid are necessary for a balanced bite and chicken salad needs zing. After I added some fuji apples (which help with acid), toasted pecans, cranberries, and celery, I stopped and made a dressing, which contained a secret ingredient. I added a little honey and little bit of vinegar. The vinegar I chose was a dark, syrupy raspberry vinegar, but you could add in a little apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar or even a white balsamic. Mix your mayonnaise, honey and vinegar first and taste. It should have enough zing to wake you up, but not too much. I also like to shred the chicken, not cube it. This makes it easy to make small finger sandwiches, or put on crackers for a great appetizer.

Use a very snappy cracker like a pita cracker, not a crumbly one. Be sure to toast the pecans, and if you’re daring, you can add some heat, a little cayenne perhaps. Chop the celery finely so it the chicken salad will spread easily and go sparingly with the dressing. My rule of thumb is to put just enough to hold the chicken salad together.

Another secret addition is a hint of freshly chopped rosemary or tarragon. Not too much, but just a smattering because it goes so good with the apples. Both are powerful herbs, so taste as you go.

You can use Granny Smith tart apples which stay nice and firm or something like a Fuji or gala. Softer apples don’t do well. You can use any herb you like, a little parsley, dill, thyme, or tarragon. Now excuse me, I’m off to roast a chicken, because now I want to eat this chicken salad all over again.

More Chicken Recipes

1. One Hour Roast Chicken
2. Chicken and Biscuits (Gluten Free)
3. Chicken and Biscuits (Keto)
4. Chicken Pie (Keto)
5. Chicken and White Bean Soup

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Apple Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

Pulled chicken, rosemary, and pecans for appetizers, lunch or even a dinner salad.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound white meat chicken Pulled from rotisserie chicken
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 cup mayonnaise Better Body Foods
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
• 1 small granny smith diced
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste or to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped or more to taste

Instructions

• Pull chicken off bone. Don't use any skin. Make sure it's in bite sized pieces.
• Add diced celery, diced apple, cranberries to chicken.
• Add mayonnaise according to need. I used quite a bit
• Toasting pecans is optional. No more than 3 minutes. Chop somewhere between fine and course, keeping in mind how that will be for eating. Add in, but save some for topping.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in rosemary and parsley, but also save a little for the top.

The post Rosemary Pecan Chicken Salad, Easy Appetizer appeared first on Spinach Tiger.