This Powerhouse Kale Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing is da’ bomb! It’s packed with so much goodness, it will help you power through even the worst of days. That blueberry balsamic dressing drizzled all over? That’s like the nectar of the gods that will have you savoring every bite.
This Kale Salad is not just any ordinary salad. It’s packed full of some super nutritious foods that are perfect for a pre or post work out or to enjoy for lunch or with dinner. I was inspired to make this recipe after enjoying a similar salad I had at a restaurant recently. I picked apart my salad and scrutinized it pretty closely to make sure I got all the ingredients. At first I wasn’t sure if the salad would fill me up but it had enough protein sources that I was full for the rest of the day. The server joked that this salad would probably be the healthiest thing I’d ever eat. It certainly made it to my top 10 list.
Eating salads like this brings me back to my muay thai days. How I miss those days. It made me feel bad ass. My ass is still pretty bad, but that’s only because it doesn’t fit into all those lovely clothes I fit in 30 lbs ago. *sigh* Baby steps. It’s been a rough 3 years. I still remember walking back to work through downtown Sudbury with my Muay Thai hoodie pulled up over my head to cover my smeared make up and hair that was dripping with sweat. My gym bag carrying my boxing gloves and hand wraps was swung over my shoulder. I had just kicked some serious ass (my ass) and I felt great! It’s amazing how an hour-long work out that leaves a puddle of sweat on the floor can make you feel invincible. No, I’m not exaggerating.
The Muay Thia girls with UFC fighter Mitch Gagnon
I would normally have a salad like this Powerhouse Kale Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing after I came back from my work out. My body needed all those nutrients to help heal my muscles after my intense workouts. I’d usually add some chicken or boiled eggs to the salad just for good measure.
This powerhouse salad is amazing regardless of whether you’re coming back from the gym or packing it in your lunch bag. As the milk commercials say, it does a body good. So get up off that couch and go for a walk, ride your bike or hit the gym. And eat this salad. Your body will thank you for it!
Powerhouse Kale Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
Suggested Ingredients
- 2 cups Baby spinach
- 2 cups Baby kale
- 1/2 cup Quinoa , cooked
- ½ cup Edamame beans , defrosted
- ¼ cup Pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup Goji berries
- ½ cup Blueberries , fresh
- 1 Sweet potato , peeled, diced & roasted
- ½ Avocado , sliced
- 2 tablespoons Hemp hearts
Dressing yield 1/2 cup
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ shallot , diced
- A few sprinkles of salt and pepper
Instructions
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Adjust the amounts of each ingredient in the salad to your personal preference. You do not need to include all the ingredients; these are only recommendations for a super nutritious salad.
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To prepare the sweet potato, peel and dice the sweet potato. Spread it across a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Bake in a 400F oven for about 25 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to enjoy.
The Dressing
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Place oil, blueberries, balsamic vinegar, honey and shallot into blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a small fine strainer to get rid of small bits of blueberry skin. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
