Kale Apple Salad

With grapes, Manchego cheese, walnuts and Dijon mustard vinaigrette, this kale apple salad has something more than greens in every bite.

Am I a resolutions person? Definitely not!

I already have an ongoing list of things in my life that I’m trying to improve. They include eliminating mindless snacking and working more fruits and veggies into my diet.

When my brain is in all sots of places at once, I tend to reach for anything classified as a carb in between my more virtuous moments.

It’s a habit that I’m trying to work on, even catching myself mid bite.

I’ve been attempting, mind over matter, to reach for fruits or vegetables when I’m hungry instead of going straight for a salty snack.

We don’t ever have a shortage of produce at home. Just sometimes a little more effort is required.

Yesterday I worked my pantry/fridge-foraging skills and made a kale apple salad for lunch. 

Kale Apple Salad: The Ingredients

My number one rule with kale salads is that each bite must contain more than just kale. It’s such a strong green that it needs something else to go with it to tone it down.

I raided the leftovers from my New Years Eve cheese plate and used red grapes and Manchego cheese.

Salads are such a great way to stretch leftovers or to transform them into a totally different meal.

Not wanting to be without crunch, I sliced crisp Pink Lady apples. I loved how their tangy sweetness stood up to the kale.

Then I tossed in toasted walnuts for even more crunch.

To bring all the ingredients together, I whisked up mustard vinaigrette with shallots, Dijon and champagne vinegar. 

I’ve heard lots of debate as to whether you are supposed to massage kale.

From my experience, I find that it absorbs the dressing just fine without getting your hands into it.

But if the leaves seem especially tough, it’s a good idea to give the salad more than just the usual drizzle with the dressing. 

Kale Apple Salad

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: –
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x

With grapes, Manchego cheese, walnuts and Dijon mustard vinaigrette, this kale apple salad has something more than greens in every bite.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches Lacinato kale
• 4 Pink Lady Apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 cup halved red grapes
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 ounce Manchego cheese, shaved
• 1 tablespoon minced chives
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the ribs from the kale and finely chop the leaves. Place them in a large bowl with the apples, grapes, walnuts, Manchego and chives
2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, champagne vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Toss the vinaigrette in the salad before serving.

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: –
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x