There’s nothing better than when your meals are already made for the week! I hate thinking about what I want for dinner, especially when I’m past the point of stomach growling. Last week, I lived off of these loaded kale salads. I started thinking about all of my favorite salad toppings and headed to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients. I also had a busy week and wanted to make my dinner plans easier.
This salad did not disappoint, and it was even better after my evening walks! I loved knowing that dinner was ready whenever I wanted it. And if you’re not a fan of salad, the tangerine dressing may change your mind on that one! This salad has Brussels, sweet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, goat cheese, tofu, cranberries, walnuts, white beans, and kale. Not only does it have almost every important food group, but it’s also pretty seasonal.
Loaded Kale Salad with a Honey Tangerine Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh kale
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/2 cup white northern beans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 3 cups roasted sweet potatoes cooked in olive oil, sea salt, and pepper
- 3 cups roasted Brussels sprouts cooked in olive oil, sea salt, and pepper
- 6 large hard-boiled eggs
- 14.5 ounces extra-firm tofu diced and air fried
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Honey Tangerine Vinaigrette
- 1 medium tangerine
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp onion salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Loaded Kale Salad
- In a pan on high heat, add the walnuts and coconut oil. When the walnuts start to brown, add in the cinnamon, sea salt, and maple syrup. Continue to stir until they're fully coated. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
- In a large bowl, add in the kale, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, northern beans, hard-boiled eggs, goat cheese, walnuts, and tofu. I cooked the sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts in the oven at 375-degrees for 25-minutes with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. The tofu was drained, diced, and cooked in the air-fryer at 400-degrees for 15-minutes.
- Toss the salad with a little bit of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
Honey Tangerine Vinaigrette
- Squeeze the juice from the tangerine and add it to a mixing bowl. Mix in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and honey. Mix in the spices and give the dressing a quick taste-test to see if it needs any more salt, pepper, garlic, or onion! It may even need more honey depending on how ripe your tangerine is.
- Pour over your bowl of salad with avocado and extra goat cheese crumbles
- If you are going to store the dressing in the refrigerator, you will need to microwave it for about 15-seconds before serving. The honey will clump in the fridge once it separates from the olive oil.
😋 Once it was time to make a salad, I added a little extra goat cheese, dressing, and avocadoes on top! 😋
Questions for you!
- What is your favorite salad topping?
- What do you meal prep in the winter?
- What are you having for dinner tonight?
Chandler says
This salad looks absolutely delish! Might need to try it 🙂 I love hard boiled eggs on salad and a really good dressing. They are must-haves! In the winter, I always crave grounding foods like butternut squash, potatoes, soups, and warm foods in general! I ordered a Purple Carrot box for next week because you’ve made me want to try one 🙂 Can’t wait! For dinner tonight, we’re having sesame peanut noodles. I used brown rice spaghetti for the noodles and chopped red cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced mini bell peppers, and sliced cucumber for the veggies! The sauce is a delicious combo of peanut butter, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, lime juice, and other yummy things. Also, my husband and I are getting a PUPPY next week! She’s a black lab and we named her Daisy. We cannot WAIT to bring her home!! ♥
Taralynn McNitt says
AWWWWWW!!! congrats on your new puppy!!!! how exciting! 🙂
I hope you enjoy your purple carrot!!! ♥️
Amanda says
Once your prep all the ingredients, do you make the salads all put together and then store them? Or mix them up when you’re ready to eat?
Taralynn McNitt says
I mix it up when I’m ready to eat. I keep them in the large dish and add it to a bowl when im ready!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
I love the fall ingredients in this salad! Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and cranberries are my jam! 💕✨
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Taralynn McNitt says
The best combo!!!!
Avalon says
This looks fantastic, I can’t wait to make it! I recently acquired an air fryer and I’m still experimenting. I bet it would be a phenomenal way to cook brussel sprouts wrote make them super crispy. Seasonal salads are always a crowd pleaser at dinner parties and family get-togethers too. Thanks for sharing your recipe Taralynn!
Taralynn McNitt says
Brussels sprouts are SO GOOD in the air fryer!!!
Joanna says
Hi! I just made this yesterday for lunch for the week! So delicious! And filling. I loved it. Thanks for creating such a wonderful salad!
Taralynn McNitt says
So happy you loved it!!!