Roasted Kale & Coconut Salad
I am so totally overwhelmed with Thanksgiving recipes. I love this time of year. A holiday to celebrate pilgrims food. I know I’m thankful.
How in the world am I supposed to narrow it down? There is too much good food.
What about these pumpkin pie squares?
Sweet potato dinner rolls? Yes, please.
I really, really want this sausage and sage stuffing.
Might as well add some red quinoa, shaved brussels, and blueberry salad while you’re at it.
I’m slated for sweet potatoes and rolls. I’ll probably bring a salad or some mulled wine. Both? Maybe? My dad joked that we should make a Mexican feast like we do for Christmas. I really don’t think that he’s joking. What are you making this year?
This salad was something I threw together for work lunches. It lasted all of two days. It’s nothing short of delicious, but it had a hard time keeping me full. That’s the fate of salads everywhere [unless it’s the brown rice salad from Picnic House] for me. I’m pretty sure that it’s mostly mental, but unless I see that it’s going to fill me up, I’ll play tricks on myself. I couldn’t get enough of the coconut + sesame oil flavor combo. Salty and sweet are really doing it for me lately [so says the sourdough pretzel bites and M&Ms I’ve been snacking on lately]. The quinoa adds a level of protein it wouldn’t have otherwise, and blends in with the flavors so it’s just a filler. Quinoa is good at that. The kale doesn’t quite disappear, but isn’t as leafy tasting as it can be. Roasting it to a crisp tenderizes it so it feels less salady and more chippy.
Inspiration: With Style & Grace
Ingredients
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and chopped into bite sized pieces [this is the flat green kind]
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups cooked quinoa [from about 1/2 cup dry]
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350° and get out a baking sheet or two depending on how much kale you yield from the bunch. You don’t want the pieces to overlap.
In a small bowl [or shake together in a jar], whisk together the oils and soy sauce. Toss the chopped kale and coconut in a bowl with the oil mixture. Make sure everything is covered. Spread the kale and coconut out on the baking sheet(s). Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the coconut is browned and the kale is starting to crisp up.
In your serving bowl, toss together the kale mixture with the cranberries and quinoa. Serve.
Yum! Kale anything is good by me.
To overwhelm you even more, I HAVE to share with you my favorite ever Thanksgiving recipe. http://www.dailygarnish.com/2011/11/sourdough-stuffing-with-fennel-and-capers.html
It’s so so so good and unique and amazing!
That does sound amazing! I would totally make that if I were in charge of stuffing this year, but my mom took that over. I just need an excuse to make it on my own!
Okay, I usually challenge or scoff at any deviance from classic cornbread stuffing, but CAPERS? That sounds fabulous. Mail me some 🙂
Hmm, interesting! I always end up stabbing myself in the roof of the mouth if I make kale chips…maybe the key is not to let it get entirely crisp?
I have yet to make an overly stabby kale chip. I have been disappointed in that respect. Sometimes I wish they were much crispier. It works with this though.
Dad says, OH Hell NO , not no sweet potato rolls! Love ya!
I’ll make them just for him!
It’s stuffing season! And OH am I happy! And I could totally go for some pumpkin pie square, too.
I love stuffing season. The sandwich shop we’re always going to had a massive turkey, mashed potato, stuffing, cranberry on sourdough topped with gravy sando last night. I ate every. last. bite.
That sounds amazing. On so many levels. I already had round one of stuffing a few days ago, and then have been subsisting mostly on leftovers since then. And then today I get more. Life is good. Even if it’s not in sandwich-form.