Roasted Sweet Potato & Kale Salad

Name: Roasted Sweet Potato & Kale Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato (peeled and diced); 6 cups kale (ribs removed, chopped); 1 cup raddichio (shredded); 1/2 cup parsley; 1/2 cup raw pecan pieces; 1/2 cup goat cheese (crumbled); 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds; 1/4 cup dried cranberries; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1.5 tbsp lemon juice; 1 small garlic clove (minced); 1 tbsp grainy dijon mustard; 1 tbsp maple syrup

Level

Easy

Time

40 Min

Serves

4

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Published January 27, 2023 by Dr. Stephanie Gray, DC

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Try my ROASTED SWEET POTATO & KALE SALAD.

This is a beautiful winter salad with kale, radicchio, roasted sweet potato, pecans, pumpkin seeds and goat cheese with a lemon apple cider vinegar dressing. Add protein to make it a meal. Sure enough to warm your heart on a cold winter day.

Gluten free, grain free, with nut free, dairy free and lectin free options.

Why you will LOVE this Sweet Potato & Kale Salad!

Very healthy meal: no refined carbohydrates

It’s easy to add a protein to make it a meal

Visually appealing salad with the orange sweet potato, red radicchio, green kale

You will love the salad dressing; so easy to make!

Gluten free, grain free, with dairy free, nut free and lectin free options

It’s paleo friendly

What equipment do you need?

large salad bowl
baking pan
vegetable peeler
large knife

What ingredients do you need?

large sweet potato
kale (ribs removed, chopped)
raddichio (shredded)
parsley
raw pecan pieces
goat cheese (crumbled)
raw pumpkin seeds
dried cranberries
olive oil
apple cider vinegar
lemon juice
garlic clove (minced)
grainy dijon mustard
maple syrup

How do I make this Sweet Potato & Kale Salad?

It’s Super EASY!

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Step 2:

Place diced sweet potato on a baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Bake until potato is fork tender. About 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before putting on salad.

Step 3:

To make salad, put kale, radicchio, parsley in a large salad bowl. Top with pecans, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

Step 4:

To make dressing, use a small mason jar. Put olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and maple syrup in the jar. Seal with lid and shake to mix ingredients.

Step 5:

Top salad with sweet potato.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions:

Kale- Kale is a hearty green that packs a nutritional punch. I usually buy my kale pre-shredded in a bag because then I don’t have to fuss with removing the ribs. I used regular curly kale for this recipe but my favourite kale to use in a salad is black kale which also goes by dinosaur kale, lacinato kale. It’s darker, a bit easier on the palate but it’s harder to find. Spinach would be a good substitute.

Sweet potato– Roasted sweet potato adds colour, nutrition and a subtle sweetness to this salad.

Radicchio -Radicchio is a beautiful, slightly bitter leaf with white-veined red leaves that form a head. It is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. In my opinion it is highly under-rated, under-utilized plant. It adds a lovely colour to this salad. You can roast it with the sweet potato to soften the flavours. It’s good for you- try it.

Pecans- Pecans pair nicely with goat cheese, radicchio, cranberries and kale. Walnuts would be an appropriate substitute. Omit if you’re nut free.

Goat Cheese– Goat cheese also pairs nicely with all the ingredients. A soft, creamy ingredient is like goat cheese is needed to balance out the heartiness of the kale. Omit if you’re avoiding dairy or use a dairy free soft cheese.

Pumpkin seeds- Sunflower seeds or hemp seeds would be good substitutes.

Dried cranberries– Dried cranberries add a touch of colour and sweetness to the salad. Dried currants would be a good substitute.

Extra virgin olive oil- Olive oil or avocado oil are good choices for the base of the salad dressing. Don’t break my heart by using canola oil or other seed oil as they are pro-inflammatory and terrible for your health.

Apple cider vinegar– I love apple cider vinegar. It comes with an array of health benefits. White balsamic, dark balsamic vinegars would be good substitutes.

Maple syrup– a little bit of maple syrup is used to offset the bitterness of the kale/radicchio. Use monk fruit sweetener or omit completely if you’re avoiding sugar. The dressing tastes good without sweetener.

Lectin free option– omit pumpkin seeds and substitute for hemp seeds or use no seeds at all.

Dairy free option– omit goat cheese or use dairy free soft cheese

Nut free option– omit pecans.

How to Store Leftover Salad

Store leftover salad and dressing separately in an airtight glass containers. Refrigerate. Must be eaten within 5 days.

Do not freeze.