Sauteed Kale Salad
This warm kale salad is made easily in the frying pan, with the fillings of your choice and a delicious and easy balsamic dressing! This is a simple, flexible meal or side dish which crams in so much healthy goodness. Naturally vegetarian and gluten free, but can easily be made vegan or low carb if you wish.
Ingredients
- olive oil, for cooking
- 14 oz (400 g) canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 mini peppers (or 1 larger pepper), sliced
- 8 oz (250 g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups (200 g) kale, chopped
- 1 lemon or lime
- ½ cup (50 g) pecorino or parmesan cheese*, shaved or grated
Dressing
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tsp maple syrup
- 0.5 tsp mustard
Instructions
- Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1.5 tsp maple syrup, 0.5 tsp mustard
- Add the cherry tomatoes to a large salad bowl.10 cherry tomatoes
- In a large frying pan, heat a little olive oil and add the chickpeas. Allow them to sit, without stirring, for a couple of minutes until they are browning on the underside. At that point, add the smoked paprika, salt and pepper and mix them in the pan, cooking for an additional minute or two. When they're done, add them to the salad bowl with the tomatoes.14 oz canned chickpeas, 1 tsp smoked paprika, olive oil
- In the same frying pan (no need to wipe it down) add the peppers and cook over a high heat until the skins are slightly charred, then add those to the salad bowl too.4 mini peppers (or 1 larger pepper)
- Return the pan to the heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the mushrooms, garlic, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to the pan and saute until the mushrooms have reduced and the liquid is all evaporated from the pan. Add those to the salad bowl.8 oz mushrooms, 1 tbsp salted butter, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Finally, give the pan a little wipe clean and return to the heat. Add a little olive oil and then saute the kale. Add the kale, lots of salt and pepper and the juice of the lemon to the pan, stirring as it cooks, until it's bright green and soft but not completely wilted or cooked down. You may need to do this in two batches. Once it's done, add it to the bowl and immediately add the dressing and cheese.3 cups kale, 1 lemon or lime, 1/2 cup pecorino or parmesan cheese*
- Toss to combine all of the ingredients and serve.
Notes
*Parmesan isn't generally suitable for vegetarians due to the animal rennet, but I use a vegetarian approved pecorino or an Italian hard cheese in the style of parmesan that uses microbial rennet. You can use any salty hard cheese that doesn't melt too easily here- manchego or feta are other good choices.
Calories: 344kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 492mg, Potassium: 686mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 5739IU, Vitamin C: 83mg, Calcium: 315mg, Iron: 3mg