Winter Kale Pecans Cranberries (Printable)

Tender kale with toasted pecans, dried cranberries, apple, and feta tossed in a maple-Dijon vinaigrette.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 1 large bunch kale (about 8 cups), stems removed, leaves chopped
02 - 1 cup pecan halves
03 - 2/3 cup dried cranberries
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

→ Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add pecan halves and toast, stirring frequently, until aromatic and lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
02 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Massage the kale leaves gently with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until tender and darkened.
03 - Add toasted pecans, dried cranberries, sliced red onion, apple slices, and crumbled feta cheese to the kale in the bowl.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until thoroughly emulsified.
05 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly to combine. Serve immediately or allow to stand for 10 minutes to enhance flavor melding.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It actually makes kale taste exciting, not like something you force yourself to eat.
  • The maple vinaigrette clings to every leaf without making the salad soggy or heavy.
  • You can prep it ahead and it gets better as it sits, unlike most salads that turn limp and sad.
02 -
  • Do not skip massaging the kale, raw kale in a salad is unpleasant and chewy no matter how good your dressing is.
  • Toast the pecans in a dry pan, adding oil or butter makes them greasy instead of crisp.
  • Slice the onion paper-thin or soak it in cold water for five minutes to mellow the sharpness.
03 -
  • If your kale is especially tough, let it sit in the dressing for fifteen minutes before serving, it will soften even more.
  • Use a mandoline to slice the onion and apple paper-thin, it makes the whole salad feel more refined without any extra effort.
  • Make a big batch of the vinaigrette and store it in a jar, it keeps for a week and turns any bowl of greens into something worth eating.

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