Winter Kale + Sweet Potato Salad
All hail kale! I actually love kale...but I understand that it’s not at the top of everyone’s list of favourite greens. It’s my mission to change that! I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason kale inspires screwed up noses + poked out tongues, is all down to a missed step in its preparation: the oil (dressing) massage. Yes! Turns out raw kale loooooves a little working over with your hands. This takes the edge off, + makes it tender enough to eat raw (the acids in the dressing will also help this process.) Add some other colourful veggies + nuts + seeds + you’ve got yourself a tasty side dish!
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
What you need:
1/4 cup buckwheat groats
1x sweet potato, cubed
1x bunch kale, shredded
1/8th red cabbage, shredded
1x onion, roughly cut
1/2 bunch parsley
6x whole cloves garlic
1/4 cup mixed walnuts + pepitas
Salt + pepper, to taste
Dressing:
2x teaspoons Dijon mustard
Juice 1/2 lemon
2x teaspoons red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1x teaspoon honey (or more, depending on how sweet you like it)
2x teaspoons olive oil
Salt + pepper to taste
What to do:
1/ Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2/ Mix together sweet potato, onion + garlic + put on a lined baking tray. Add a good glug of olive oil + sprinkle with salt + pepper. Put the vegetables in the oven + bake for about 20 minutes, or until veggies are soft.
3/ To prepare the buckwheat, bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to the boil. Add the buckwheat + cover, reduce heat to a simmer + cook until tender (but not mushy), about 10 minutes. Drain off excess liquid. Rinse with cold water + drain well.
4/ Meanwhile, add the cabbage, kale + parsley to a large mixing bowl.
5/ Combine dressing ingredients + whisk lightly. Add dressing to the kale mix + use your hands to ‘massage’ the leafy vegetables (rub the kale leaves together between your fingers until they just start to soften.)
6/ Add the sweet potato mix + cooked (+ drained) buckwheat to the greens. Mix in the pepitas + walnuts, + use your hands lightly toss.
7/ Serve with your choice of protein for a hearty winter meal.