One of my favourite Christmas side dishes just got a make over for 2019. This Crispy Kale Salad with Cranberries and Chestnuts has been updated to include buttery, sweet chestnuts instead of flaked almonds and plump, juicy, fresh cranberries instead of dried. The cranberries are roasted in freshly squeezed orange juice and maple (or honey if you’re not vegan) to complement their natural tartness.
What makes this Crispy Kale Salad with Cranberries and Chestnuts special?
Marinated in a dressing of clementine and ginger, this Crispy Kale Salad with Cranberries and Chestnuts just oozes festive flavour. It’s absolutely one of my favourite kale recipes and one to be rolling out well after the Christmas season’s over. If you can’t find fresh cranberries post Christmas, feel free to use dried, or for a more savoury flavour, some avocado or nut cheese works well too in this vegan kale salad.
Did you know just one cup of kale packs in 10% of the RDA of omega3 fatty acids, which help fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders? Like we needed another excuse to get our greens on!
Have a happy and healthy Christmas everyone, Jo x
Crispy Kale Salad with Cranberries and Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 350 g kale (stalks removed)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 90 g cooked chestnuts
- Pinch of Pink Himalayan or sea salt
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, or honey if not vegan
Sugar Free Clementine and Ginger Dressing
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice and zest of 1 clementine
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- Pinch of Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200c / 180C fan assisted.
- Shred the kale in a food processor so it’s quite fine. Spread evenly over to baking trays lined with greaseproof paper and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until crispy. Stir a couple of times for even cooking.
- Add the cranberries to a new greaseproof lined baking tray. Toss with the orange juice and optional maple syrup or honey and roast in the oven for around 5 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Sugar Free Clementine and Ginger Dressing
- Peel the ginger using a spoon and grate finely, along with the zest of 1 clementine. Mix the toasted sesame oil, olive oil, salt, pepper, juice and zest of the clementine and ginger together in a bowl.
- Place the kale salad in a serving dish. Toss through with the dressing, cranberries and chestnuts. Option to serve with a little fresh chopped parsley.
