Are you bored with what seem like the same meals week after week? Maybe it’s because we tend to fix what we know and just don’t have the time or the energy to learn a bunch of new stuff. Maybe it’s because we know a few easy recipes and those tend to be our go-tos. Or maybe it’s just that we eat what we grew up eating. Whatever the reason may be, if you feel like it’s time for a change….a healthier change, then let’s chat for a moment about what that may look like for you. If you are like most people out there, you could certainly increase your intake of real whole foods and less of the processed junk. I can always see ways to make improvements in my own nutrition as well. Change isn’t always easy especially if it’s a way of life we have always known. But just because it may be a challenge doesn’t mean that it can’t be well within your reach. And you will likely find that once you adopt a new healthy lifestyle, you’ll love the changes you have made to your diet!

What are real whole foods? We’re talking about stuff that isn’t coming out of a box. These are foods that don’t have a long list of unpronounceable ingredients. This is the stuff we want to gravitate towards, right? But you already knew that, didn’t you? We all know this but putting it into an action plan that we will actually do on a daily and weekly basis (long-term) is another story. This is why I try to share a recipe here and there that I like and that is super easy to prepare.

This salad is loaded with plenty of greens and also some other toppings that may seem untraditional but will have you looking at salads in a completely different light. It ditches the croutons, cheeses, and thick dressings and instead is a fresh look at a fall salad that is so light and delicious but completely satisfying at the same time.

Here is the ingredient list you’ll need to make my Crunchy Harvest Kale Salad…

1) Kale
2) Romaine Lettuce (or green leaf lettuce)
3) Red onion
4) Fresh mandarin oranges (2)
5) Pomegranate
6) Pecans (toasted)
7) 1 t. Toasted sesame oil
8) 1 t. Dijon mustard
9) 1/2 t. Honey
10) Cayenne pepper (don’t knock it until you try it!)

We don’t need to get too specific on the amounts, because we all have different tastes, but here are the basics…  I used about half of one romaine heart and approx two cups chopped kale for one serving. I like more kale than romaine, and I like to chop it really fine. I’ll eat more when my salad is chopped rather than left in larger chunks. This may just be personal preference, so feel free to prepare it however you’ll eat it best!

The red onion just adds a little something to this so I love the extra kick but it doesn’t take much so just sprinkle a little on top and go by your own taste as far as how much you want to include.

Peel the mandarin oranges. Divide one to use the slices in the salad and the other one you’ll squeeze the juice out to use in your dressing.

Pomegranates are easy to find right now, but they do take a little time to prep, so this is probably something you’ll want to have ready in advance. Sprinkle however much you like on top. I used about 1/4 c. The part you want are the arils which are the seeds with a little juice sac around them. They are the definition of nature’s candy! AND they are a superfood packed with fiber, protein, potassium, folate and vitamins C and K. Delicious on their own, they are a really sweet addition to this salad (literally!) and are part of the “crunchy” you’re going to love.

Speaking of love, I absolutely love pecans in this salad. I used about 1/4 c. in my salad, so about the same amount of pecans as pomegranate.  If pecans aren’t your thing then you can replace with walnuts or slivered almonds if you desire. The pecans, especially when teamed up with the oranges and the pomegranate, remind me of fall. If you have a toaster oven, set it at 350 degrees and toast for just a few minutes. They will burn easily, but you’ll know they are done because you will start to smell that awesome toasty aroma. Just watch them closely.

For the dressing, combine one teaspoon toasted sesame oil with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a half teaspoon of honey (the pomegranate and the orange adds a lot of natural sweetness already to this salad, so you don’t need much honey and could even choose to omit if you desire) and the juice from a mandarin orange. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to complete and your salad world will never be the same.

This salad is comfort food at it’s healthiest. I feel like I’m eating a treat more than health food! It’s the perfect solution to your salad boredom, so I hope you love as much as I do. As I always say, make it your own and if you find ingredients you’ve added that are amazing, feel free to share in the comments so others can try!

Here’s to YOUR health!