One of my favorite autumn activities is apple picking. I was married in October of 1996 and one of the snacks awaiting my guests in their hotel rooms was fresh picked apples by my husband to be and me. It is a tradition we shared with the kids when they were little and all that fresh air and manual labor virtually guaranteed a good night sleep for everyone. Outhouse Orchards in North Salem is my favorite because they also have a petting zoo, funnel cakes and fresh-made apple treats like cider, donuts, and apple pie.
I love figuring out what I want to make with all those apples! There are the obvious go-tos like apple sauce, apple pie, and apple crisp, but let me tempt you to try throwing some diced apple into this festive kale salad, which makes it even more hearty and refreshing.
Nutritionally, this salad is a major standout thanks to the kale, pecans, apples, pomegranate, and cranberries, but also for an ingredient that might not be familiar to you — nutritional yeast. Nutritional Yeast can be found in the spice or condiment aisle of your grocery store and is a dry flakey consistency and fits practically any diet or eating habits, as it is naturally low in sodium and calories, it is fat-free, sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan. It has a savory low-key flavor, and studies show it may help lower cholesterol, boost immune health and is a great source of plant-based protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals like zinc and manganese.
The apple cider vinegar used in the vinaigrette is an additional healthy ingredient making this salad delicious, and your body will be so grateful for all the nutrients and gut health support it provides. The cinnamon with the acid from the vinegar and the natural fruit gives it a truly refreshing flavor, one that the kids will also enjoy. Because this salad is so hearty and flavorful, it can stand alone as a vegan main course, or is a great side to a light protein such as fish or grilled chicken.
The colors and textures also make this dish a beautiful addition to any buffet and worthy of serving to guests or at a holiday meal. So take advantage of all the apples this fall and have some fun trying them in new ways.
Autumn Kale Salad with Apple Cinnamon Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Pecan Parmesan
½ cup pecans toasted
1½ tsp nutritional yeast
1½ – 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Vinaigrette
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbs pure maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp fine-grain sea salt
1 TBS extra virgin olive or grapeseed oil
2 TBS unsweetened applesauce
½ tsp minced fresh peeled ginger
Salad
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces
1 apple (honey crisp is my favorite) cored and finely chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pomegranate arils (from about ½ pomegranate)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300°
Spread the pecans in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven (toast in toaster oven) for approximately seven minutes or until they are lightly golden and smell fragrant.
Set aside to cool for five minutes.
In mini food processor, combine the toasted pecans, nutritional yeast, oil and salt and process until crumbly and combined. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, oil, applesauce and ginger until combined.
Place kale in large salad bowl and pour on the dressing. With your hands, massage the dressing into the kale leaves until fully coated.
Let stand for at least 30 minutes. The kale will soften slightly during this time.
Top the kale with the apple, cranberries, pomegranate arils and sprinkle the pecan parmesan over the salad just before serving.