I love a salad that utilizes in season, fresh produce and the one below definitely does. This salad embraces one of my favorite autumnal foods- apples! While this salad recipe doesn’t contain any meat, it does have a couple different protein sources and some healthy fat which makes it satiating enough to be a meal or a side.

This salad makes 2 large entree size salads or 4 side salads.

Salad Ingredients

Approximately 6 Cups Kale

4 McIntosh Apples (or whatever apple you prefer)

5 oz Goat Cheese crumbled

1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup Sweet and Spicy Pecans (I buy these from Trader Joe’s but you can also make them yourself)

1/4 Cup Pickled Red Onion (I follow this recipe)

Dressing Ingredients

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Instructions

Combine all dressing ingredients until it has emulsified.

Add the dressing to the kale (you likely will only use half of the dressing but start with a quarter and add more if needed). Massage the kale…this is crucial to making a kale salad pleasant to it. It tenderizes the kale. You’ll know when the kale has bee massaged enough when it starts to feel more tender.

Strain the pickled red onion.

Crumble the goat cheese on the salads evenly along with the pumpkin seeds, pecans, and pickled onion.

Slice the apple thinly and top it on the salad.

Enjoy!