Another season, another kale salad; that’s the way I see it anyways. And, nothing says changing of the seasons like kale…don’t you agree?

Since I’ve been bashing you over the head with all things pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkin, I thought I’d switch it up and throw some greens into the mix for a change. Not just any kind of greens, but kale – an autumn green. That’s right, kale is in season too! Expect stalks of the green leafy stuff at your farmer’s market for pennies in all sorts of varieties like Kamome Red, Red Russian, Siberian, Redbor, Premier, Curly, and Lacinato.

Kale is one of those magical greens that adapts to the changing of the seasons ever so smoothly. Unlike most of the items in your closet, kale works with all weather, all social occasions, and all seasons. Kale is fantastic for parties, potlucks, cozying by the fire, sweating it out at a cookout and detoxifying with your girlfriends. Plus, kale adapts to ingredients and textures flawlessly; unlike those crazy red wedges in my closet that go with absolutely nothing. Invest more in kale, and less in shoes. (Unless they’re really cute shoes.)

This kale tastes fantastic all jazzed up with autumn goodness. Each chopped leaf is gently massaged with the most delicious Maple Tahini Dressing to give each bite a sweet and delicate nutty flavor. Crisp apple and sweet pomegranate seeds add the perfect amount of sweetness and substance to the salad, while walnuts add in the necessary crunch and nuttiness. Plus, have you seen these walnuts? They’re red! These deep red walnuts have the creamiest, most perfect taste and really help to elevate the autumn flavors of this kale salad. Trust me, everyone you know will go crazy for the amazing autumn flavors in this chopped kale and apple salad.

Happy Kale Season!

Chopped Kale and Apple Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing

Makes 2 large servings or 4 smaller servings

Chopped Kale & Apple Salad

1 bunch of kale, thick stems removed and roughly chopped
1 large crisp apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, chopped into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup red walnuts, roughly chopped

Maple Tahini Dressing

4 T tahini
1 ½ T maple syrup
1 ½ T lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Prepare the dressing first. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk in olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.

Place chopped kale in a large bowl and drizzle with the maple tahini dressing. You will have plenty extra dressing, so don’t dump it all in! Dress kale until you’ve reached the dressing consistency you’d like. Using your hands massage dressing into kale, until the kale leaves become smooth and silky. Toss in the remainder of the salad ingredients and mix to incorporate. Serve & Enjoy!

*You can also throw in some crumbled goat cheese or avocado if you’d like!