I have been trying to implement ” Meatless Mondays” in my house, but I have been getting stuck lately trying to find a variety of meals. The most disliked food in my household is tofu and it seems like every recipe for “Meatless Monday” somehow involves tofu. So, I decided to look up some power foods that we could incorporate into the meatless meals we already have in our rotation.
Kale, quinoa, beans, and avocado are power foods by themselves. Adding them all together in one big bowl with some sweet potatoes gives you a hearty and delicious meal. This recipe for the sweet potato and kale power salad is simple enough to make when you’re short on time but filling enough that you won’t be snacking after eating it.
Tips for this recipe:
- Make sure you massage the kale. It makes a huge difference in taste and texture. Massaging kale is easy, all you do is grab a handful of kale in your hand, scrunch it up, then let it go. Keep doing that until the kale is a fragrant and a more vibrant green color.
- Carmelizing the sweet potatoes is the KEY to this recipe. Make sure you follow the directions for cooking the sweet potatoes so you end up with the brown coloring and nutty flavoring.
- You can make the avocado sauce or you can simply use avocados. Either way, you don’t want to skip out on that ingredient.
If you make this Sweet Potato and Kale Power Salad , please let me know! Leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @thathangrygurl.
Sweet Potato and Kale Power Salad
Ingredients
Kale and Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 bunch kale chopped into small pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ tsp salt
Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1½ tsp salt
Avocado Sauce
- 2 avocados
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 handful cilantro leaves
- salt to taste
- OPTIONAL: jalapeño
Additional Toppings
- 1 can black beans (14 oz, drained)
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup pepitas
Instructions
Cook the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove quinoa from heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Cook the sweet potatoes
- Use a large skillet and warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Add cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pot is sizzling, add ¼ cup water. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low so you don't burn the potatoes. Stir occasionally until the sweet potatoes are tender and cooked through (about 10 minutes)
- Uncover the pan and raise the heat to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are carmelizing (about 3-7 minutes) Set aside to cool.
Prepare the kale
- Put the kale in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the kale with salt and use . your hands to "massage it". Repeat until the kale is darker green color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lime and ½ tsp salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
Make the avocado sauce
- Simply combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well and season with salt, to taste.
Assemble the power salad
- Toss the quinoa and kale to combine. Divide the mixture into 4 large bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, avocado sauce, feta crumbles, and pepitas.
