Kale and apple winter salad

Kale and apple winter salad with kale, apple, olive oil, nuts and cranberries – crunchy, fresh and balanced for cold days.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• No cooking needed
• Total time: 15 min
• Calories: 290 kcal per serving
• Protein: 6 g
• Fat: 16 g
• Carbs: 28 g

Ingredients

• 200 g kale
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 apple
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 30 g pecans or walnuts
• 2 tbsp dried cranberries (without added sugar)
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: chopping board · knife · mixing bowl

1. Wash and dry the kale, strip the leaves from the tough stalks and put them in a large bowl.
2. Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt to the kale and massage the leaves thoroughly with your hands until they turn softer and darker.
3. Cut the apple into thin wedges and add to the kale with the nuts and dried cranberries.
4. Stir the apple cider vinegar, mustard and maple syrup together in a small bowl until smooth.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything carefully so the flavours come together.
6. Leave the salad to stand briefly, then serve fresh.

Good to know

A winter salad that's satisfying and still fresh. Just right when it's cold outside and your plate needs something crunchy.

Swaps

Kale → baby spinach or chard (milder, also a leafy green) Apple → pear (similarly fresh and sweet) Cranberries → pomegranate seeds or fresh blueberries (fresh fruit instead of sweetened dried fruit, plus natural polyphenols) Maple syrup → date paste or a finely mashed date (natural sweetness plus a little fibre)

Allergens

The salad contains tree nuts and mustard. For children, finely chopped nuts are a good idea, and during pregnancy the ingredients are generally fine in normal kitchen amounts as long as everything is washed well. Contains: mustard.

Frequently asked questions

What's in kale, nutritionally?

Kale is especially known for vitamin K and also contains vitamin C, folate and carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, plus minerals like calcium and potassium.

What fats do walnuts or pecans provide?

Walnuts contain notable amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. Pecans mainly provide monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, plus minerals such as manganese.

Are dried cranberries a good ingredient?

They add flavour and a little fibre, but they're often sweetened. If that matters to you, check the ingredients list – unsweetened versions are less common.

Does raw kale suit everyone?

Not always: raw cabbage-family veg can cause bloating if you have a sensitive tummy. Massaging it thoroughly often makes it more pleasant, but everyone reacts differently.

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