I like to call this the calm before the storm.
The clouds before the rain.
The “like” before almost all of my words.
The salad before dinner.
The balanced dish before the cupcakes. And cake. And brownies. And cupcakes.
The last month of my life and the lives of those around me.
I lost my mind a little while trying to decide how to celebrate my birthday. In the end I refused a Kim-Kardashian-style blowout — I’m just a normal person, not a contestant on My Super Sweet Sixteen. Instead I’ll savor the day, knowing it’s my last one in my twenties.
So for now I’ll eat greens and pretend the next few days of indulgence — sugar, cake, cupcakes and a lot of booze — haven’t already been planned. I can’t wait.
Crispy Autumn Kale Salad
Yield:
2
15 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
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Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of kale, torn from stems and torn into pieces
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh apple cider
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 small sweet potato, diced
- 1 honeycrisp apple, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the torn kale in a large bowl and massage in the olive oil, apple cider, 1/8 teaspoon salt, nutmeg and pepper for 1–2 minutes. Spread the kale in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Toss and roast 5–10 minutes more, until slightly crispy but not browned.
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While the kale roasts, heat a skillet over medium and add the bacon. Cook until crispy and the fat renders, about 2 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the shallot, garlic, diced sweet potato and diced apple to the skillet, seasoning with the remaining salt and the cinnamon. The sweet potato and apple should be finely diced—about the size of the bacon pieces and only slightly larger than the pine nuts and pomegranate arils. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
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Toast the pine nuts in a small saucepan over low heat for 5–6 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Remove and set aside.
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Combine the roasted kale with the cooked apples and sweet potatoes, toasted pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese, pomegranate arils and the cooked bacon. This salad doesn’t require an additional dressing—the roasted kale and pan flavors are plenty—but add a light dressing if you prefer.
Notes
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I appreciate you so much!
Oh wait… maybe I can. P.S. if I like this salad, you probably will too.