Kale and Apple Salad with Beets and Walnuts

I almost like the deep colours and textures of this salad as much as the way it tastes. It’s a bit of a show-off that way (garden-fresh ingredients help). But I promise it’s not all looks. This salad has a refreshing blend of sweetness of apples and beets and nutty walnut flavours that play well off the bitterness of the kale. There’s also a pleasant textural contrast of leafy and crunchy that bring it all together.
The trick to making this salad is to massage the kale with the dressing until every smallest curl in the kale leaf is covered with the sauce. I often enjoy this as a healthy lunch, but it has also been a hit as a side on special occasions with guests.

Kale and Apple Salad with Beets and Walnuts
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Prep time
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How it's made
Dressing |
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2 avocados, pitted and peeled |
Place in a food processor and process until smooth (about 30 seconds). |
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½ cup olive oil |
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3 tbsp apple cider vinegar |
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2 tbsp maple syrup |
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2 tbsp nutritional yeast |
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3 tsp Dijon mustard |
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Salad |
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1 bunch of kale, cut into bite sized pieces |
Place in a large bowl and add dressing. Massage dressing into the kale until the leaves are completely coated in it. |
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2 medium beets, peeled and diced |
Add to the kale and mix well. |
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2 crisp sweet apples, peeled and diced |
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1 cup walnuts, roasted and chopped |
Note: to roast walnuts, place them on a dry pan and cook over medium heat; stirring, and flipping frequently so they don’t burn. You’ll know they’re ready when they start turning golden brown. You should start smelling them at this point as well.
Helpful tips
Serve this salad alongside recipes such as Black Bean Quinoa Burgers, Burger Cups or Smoked Tofu and Hummus Sandwich.