[RECIPE] Autumn Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

Recipe courtesy Beth Moncel of budgetbytes.com

Total Cost: $6.67

Cost Per Serving: $1.67

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes ($2.40)
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.01)

Maple Tahini Dressing

• 1/4 cup tahini ($0.85)
• 1/4 cup water ($0.00)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.09)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup ($0.60)
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.01)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)

Salad

• 6 cups chopped kale (about 1/2 bunch) ($0.50)
• 1 large apple* ($0.70)
• 1/4 cup pepitas ($0.60)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans ($0.52)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries ($0.22)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and add the cooking oil, cinnamon, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Toss the sweet potatoes until they are coated in oil and spices.

2. Roast the sweet potatoes for about 30 minutes, or until they are tender and browned on the edges, stirring once half way through.

3. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, prepare the rest of the salad. Start with the dressing. Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt to a blender or bowl. Blend or whisk together until the ingredients are emulsified and smooth. Set the dressing aside.

4. Pull the kale leaves from the tough woody stems and rinse them well in a colander with cool water. Drain the kale well, then slice it into thin strips (they don’t have to be perfect, so don’t stress about this, just aim for smaller pieces). Divide the sliced kale between four bowls or containers.

5. Cut the apple into quarters and remove the core. Cut each quarter into thin slices. Add the apple slices to each container.

6. Add 1 Tbsp each of the pepitas, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries to each container. When the sweet potatoes are finished roasting, let them cool for about 5 minutes, then divide them between the containers. Divide the dressing between four small containers. Enjoy the salad immediately or refrigerate up to five days.

NOTES

*Use a sweet or sweet-tart variety of apple. I used Honeycrisp, but Gala would be another nice option.