Kale Avocado Salad
“This dish was actually inspired by my wife. She’s been making it for me for a decade! It has everything you want in a salad: It’s sweet, creamy, salty, crunchy, and most importantly, substantial and hearty enough to make a complete meal. It’s been one of the top three dishes ordered at Seamore’s since we opened, and since it’s made of all of the superfoods, it can’t get much healthier. I pretty much eat it every day at the restaurant, usually topped off with a piece of fish for added protein.” Michael Chernow, Seamore’s Restaurant in NYC
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 bunches of kale
- 1 whole green apple
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup of golden quinoa
- 2 whole avocados
- 2 whole sweet potatoes
- 16 ounces of apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 16 ounces of olive oil
- Salt (to taste)
DIRECTIONS:
For the salad
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Take 2 whole sweet potatoes. Wash thoroughly and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Lightly toss potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread cubed potatoes as one even layer on a large baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Place walnuts onto separate baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes at 350°F (175°C). When ready, walnuts will smell toasty and be a shade darker. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- On a stovetop, bring 2 cups of water to boil, then add golden quinoa, turn off heat, cover for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Slice each avocado into 2 halves. Remove the pit and slice the halves once more, creating 4 quarters of avocado. Gently pull the peel of each quarter and continue to slice avocado into half-moon shapes.
- Repeat same method using the green apple, slicing apple into half-moon shapes.
- Take both bunches of kale. Use your fingers to remove kale leaves from the stem. Once all kale leaves have been removed from the stem, rinse kale with water to ensure leaves are thoroughly washed.
- Chop kale into bite-size pieces then place kale into a mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl combine, kale, quinoa, sweet potato, and dressing to taste and garnish with slices of avocado, toasted walnuts, and sliced apple.
For the dressing
- Combine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard into a blender.
- Blend ingredients on medium speed, slowly adding in olive oil to emulsify the dressing.
- Season with salt to taste.