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sweet kale, brussels, and date salad + a new substack

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This makes enough for a crowd, and while it’s labor-intensive, it’s a good pastime for a weekend naptime and worth it to have hearty lunches throughout the week.  (That said, I’ve added some shortcuts in the Notes–in particular, this sweet kale salad kit from Costco works really nicely in a pinch.)  Please make this ahead–it tastes much better with a few hours for all the flavors to meld. It lasts easily for 4-5 days in the fridge.

Ingredients

Scale

For the salad:

¼ cup vegetable oil, divided

1 bunch lacinato kale, shredded

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

2–3 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), diced

½ to 1 cup chopped dates

½ cup sliced or slivered almonds

1 cup quinoa, uncooked (optional)

2 cups chicken broth (for the quinoa, optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 

1–2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and if you haven’t already, shred your kale, thinly slice your Brussels, and dice your sweet potatoes.  This is quite labor-intensive–see Notes for shortcuts.
  2. While it’s heating, saute the kale:  Heat a few teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the kale, season generously with salt and pepper, and saute just until dark green and softened, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Roast the Brussels:  Toss the Brussels sprouts in about two tablespoons of oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper (I use maybe 1/4 teaspoon and 1/8 teaspoon, respectively, but season to taste) until well-combined.  Spread evenly on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or foil–you may need to cook in batches–and roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, or until you see some nicely browned and roasted edges.  Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Roast the sweet potato:  Toss the diced sweet potato in about a tablespoon of oil and a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast at 425 for about 30 minutes, or until the sweet potato is browned at the edges and fork-tender.  
  5. Make the quinoa (optional):  While the vegetables are roasting, make your quinoa according to the package directions.  I usually swap the water for chicken stock for extra flavor.  When it’s done, fluff and set aside.
  6. Make the salad dressing:  Next, make your salad dressing.  I saw this neat little trick from Jacques Pepin and love it–combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a Mason jar or other sealable jar, make sure the lid is securely shut, and shake vigorously until combined.  Easy, very little clean-up, and it emulsifies beautifully.
  7. Combine:  Finally, combine everything–kale, Brussels, sweet potato, quinoa, chopped dates, almonds, quinoa if using, dressing–into a very large mixing bowl or, as I prefer to do, in the 9×13 baking dish I store it in.  Mix thoroughly and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before enjoying.

Notes

Swaps:  This is very customizable.  I like dates because I think the salad has plenty of tart from the vinaigrette, and I enjoy the warm caramelly notes you get from the dates (plus, did you know they pack quite a bit more in nutrients than other dried fruits?)  But you could use dried cranberries or cherries instead.  Pepitas or walnuts also work instead of almonds, and the vinaigrette would be delicious with a dollop of tahini, or maple syrup instead of honey.

Shortcuts:  You can use a kale and Brussels salad mix, like this one from Costco.  I use both packs in the Costco size and saute it all for about 4-5 minutes, instead of roasting the Brussels.  I’ve read that you could roast it all, too!  For the sweet potatoes, also try frozen packs of cubed sweet potatoes.  I like to keep a couple as backups.

Find it online: https://tworedbowls.com/2023/04/16/sweet-kale-brussels-and-date-salad-a-new-substack/