Sweet Potato & Chickpea Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Salads might be a health food cliché but it’s for good reason. They are loaded with non-starchy vegetables that contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients to meet your nutrient needs, fight disease, and maintain a healthy weight. When you’re having a salad, you can be certain you’re meeting your recommended half plate of veggies.

Yet, salads are often not ideal for your meal prep ambitions as they can get wilted and sad looking not long after preparing. Enter kale salads—this hardy green holds up over time and arguably taste better with an opportunity to marinate. This Lemon Tahini Kale Salad has all the right ingredients to help you feel full and satisfied so you can enjoy this both as a side or your main course. Kale, one of the first vegetables to rise to superfood stardom, is loaded with nutrients including iron and vitamins A, C, and K. Roasted sweet potatoes add nutrients such as vitamins B6, A, C and gut-friendly fiber. Pistachios and chickpeas combine to give this salad a protein boost, while dried cherries bring antioxidants and sweetness. However, the key ingredient here is the lemon tahini dressing. You will want to put this on everything.

Sweet Potato & Chickpea Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches (or about 8 cups) lacinato kale (also known as tuscan or dinosaur kale), finely chopped and stems removed

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups chopped)

• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (about 1.5 cups), drained, rinsed, and patted dry

• 1/3 cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped

• 1/3 cup dried cherries

• 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil

• pinch of salt and pepper

• Lemon Tahini Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup tahini

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice (juice from about 3 lemons)

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1-3 tbsp water (start with 1 tbsp and add more depending on desired thickness)

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp pepper

  • Optional: 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F. Add chickpeas and chopped sweet potatoes to parchment lined baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until sweet potatoes are fork tender and chickpeas are crispy.

2. Prepare dressing: combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine or add to mason jar and shake. You can also blend the ingredients in a mini food processor or blender. Taste and adjust seasonings. You can use more water to reach desired thickness. Note: sometimes the lemon juice + tahini react to create a thick, sticky consistency. If this happens, just add more water and stir vigorously until smooth.

3. Add kale to large bowl and combine with dressing. Massage with hands or salad tongs to soften kale and mix in the dressing.

4. Add toppings (chickpeas, sweet potatoes, pistachios, dried cherries) and toss. You can save some of the toppings for serving if desired.