I love salads, especially ones that are full of color and texture. The more layers, the more I like it, and that’s why a loaded kale salad has become one of my new favorites. I used to include lots of things that are no longer in my diet, like meats and cheeses. But now that I have been focusing on a plant-based diet I have found ingredients that easily replace my much-loved staples.
Kale leaves topped with couscous, black beans, and roasted veggies with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
I have a set of very large pasta bowls that I just love. They are nice and wide, which gives me a lot of space to spread around my toppings, ensuring that I can get a little bit of everything in each bite when enjoying a loaded kale salad.
I originally intended to use quinoa, but discovered I was out! But a quick scan of the cabinet and I found couscous to replace it. The day before I had roasted some sweet potato and delicata squash chunks with olive oil and spices, so I tossed them in along with some black beans for an extra hearty loaded kale salad.
I ran out of avocado, so I swapped in my home-grown lemon brined olives which gave the dish a nice salty pop. Dried cranberries added a bit of sweetness that went really well with the balsamic vinegar. Crumbled some plant feta on top and then a drizzle of basil-infused olive oil with a crack of salt and pepper and I was ready to eat!
Ultimately, this combo was really tasty, and also packed a bunch of great nutritional elements, so what’s not to love! In short, if you want to make a delicious loaded kale salad, feel free to use whatever you have in your cupboard or fridge. Chances on you’ll make something tasty too.
Cheers!
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