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.
Servings: 8
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.