Roasted Winter Vegetable Kale Salad with Pecan Vinaigrette
This Roasted Winter Vegetable Kale Salad is my go to all winter when raw vegetables do not sound appetizing. It’s hearty, flavorful and full of texture. Everything you want in a good salad!
A lot of people ask me, “Is it better to eat vegetables raw or cooked?”
The answer… Whatever you enjoy and feel better eating is the way to go!
Raw vegetables contain more enzymes and are higher in some vitamins and minerals.
Cooked vegetables may have less amounts of some vitamins, but some nutrients are made more bioavailable by cooking them. Like beta carotene in cooked carrots or lycopene (an antioxidant) in cooked tomatoes.
Cooked vegetables are also easier to digest. Ever feel bloated after a big salad? That might be because your body is having a hard time digesting a lot of raw vegetables.
So which is best? Whatever you enjoy, makes you feel good and helps you eat more vegetables on a daily basis! It’s good to get a good mix, but generally your body will lean towards more raw veggies in the summer and cooked in the winter months.
I love this salad because it mixes some raw kale with roasted winter vegetables making it easier to digest and enjoy in winter months.
Remember to massage your kale until it gets soft or slightly wilted. This not only makes it more palatable, but also makes it easier to digest.
And while this is a “winter” salad it would be amazing any time of year! Just use your favorite seasonal veggies and substitute pomegranate of unsweetened dried cranberries.
Roasted Winter Vegetable Kale Salad with Pecan Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 bunches of kale spines removed, and thinly sliced
- 1 lb of brussel sprouts halved
- 1 delicata squash
- 1 cauliflower cut into small florets
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1/4 cup lemon juice aprox. 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 425º.
- Line 2 sheet trays with parchment or silicon sheets. Spread out the brussel sprouts, squash and cauliflower on the trays so that the vegetables don’t overlap. Roast for 20 - 25 minutes until lightly charred around the edges.
- While the vegetables are roasting, make the dressing. Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse 6-8 times until combined and nuts are finely chopped but not pureed.
- Put the sliced kale in a large serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Continue to toss for a couple of minutes to massage the kale. It will shrink a little bit and make it more tender to eat.
- Once the vegetables are fully roasted toss them into the kale along with the pomegranate and pumpkin seeds.
- Toss to combine and serve.
- Any leftovers will last 1-2 days.
