This salad is so hearty, comforting, and perfect for fall. It is super easy to make if you prep a large batch of veggies and extra dressing. Its also super nutritious! This recipe serves two.
Ingredients for Salad:
6 cups kale, chopped
1/2 medium butternut squash
2 cups brussel sprouts
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes (optional; can also sub other veggies)
1 package smokey tempeh (if using plain, add 3 Tbsp BBQ sauce)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
Ingredients for Dressing:
1/4 cup cashews
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp hemp hearts
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp white miso paste
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp capers
pepper
Directions:
1. Start by prepping and roasting the squash and brussel sprouts. Preheat the over to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Peel the squash and chop it into bite size pieces. Quarter the brussel sprouts. Add them together to a lined baking tray, and toss in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway.
2. While the veggies are roasting, slice the tempeh into thin strips. You can use marinated tempeh ( The Tofurkey smokey maple bacon tempeh is great), or brush a thin layer of BBQ sauce on each strip. Add to a lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway (this can be done while the veggies are also in the oven, just use a different rack).
3. Next, start the dressing. Add the cashews and garlic to a blender. Bring the water to a boil (you can microwave), and pour it over the cashews and garlic. Close your blender. Allow the contents of the blender to sit for 20 minutes, to allow the cashews to soften, and the garlic to cook a bit. This is very important, because if the garlic is raw, the flavor will be extremely strong.
4. After the cashews and garlic have soaked, add the hemp hearts, lemon juice, miso paste, mustard, capers, and pepper to taste, to your blender. Blend everything until completely smooth.
5. By this time, the veggies and tempeh should be done, so remove from oven and allow them to cool slightly.
6. Add your kale to a large bowl with 1 tsp olive oil. With clean hands, massage the kale until it is vibrant, and has shrunk a bit. Add half of the dressing and combine thoroughly. Divide kale between two bowls (if you want to make one salad at a time, only massage half of kale). Split the veggies and tempeh between the two bowls. Add as much more dressing to each salad as you would like (I like to use it all!)
7. Serve, and enjoy!