Kale & Lentil Salad with Pear and Roasted Walnuts
This Kale & Lentil Salad is combined with the sweet crispness of pears and the spicy kick of honeyed walnuts. Perfect as a nutritious diabetes-friendly starter or a light meal, it offers a delightful mix of textures and flavours.
Servings: 6
Calories: 297.9kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup lentils dry, green or brown
- 1 bunch kale Lacinato, shredded
- 2 tbsp hazelnuts walnut or olive oil for massaging the kale
- ¼ -½ radicchio shredded
- 1 pear sliced thinly
- 1 ounce parmesan cheese shaved
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 tbsp honey
- pinch cayenne powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp water
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp hazelnut oil or walnut oil
- 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch pepper ground, or to taste
Instructions
- For the Walnuts: Preheat oven to 350˚F. On a parchment lined cookie sheet drizzle the walnuts with the honey, cayenne, salt and water. Toss to combine and bake for 12 minutes.½ cup walnuts, 2 tbsp honey, pinch cayenne powder, ⅛ tsp salt, 1 tsp water
- Bring a small pot of water to boil, add the lentils and cook for 15 minutes. Let cool.½ cup lentils
- To a small jar, combine the olive oil, hazelnut or walnut oil, sherry vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake and set aside.2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp hazelnut oil, 3 tbsp sherry vinegar, 2 tsp honey, ½ tsp salt, 1 pinch pepper
- In a large bowl, drizzle the oil over the shredded kale and massage it for 1 minute until the kale has softened. Mix in the radicchio, lentils and sliced pear and add all of the dressing, toss to combine. Transfer this mixture to a serving platter and distribute the walnuts all over the salad; do the same with the cheese.1 bunch kale, 2 tbsp hazelnuts, ¼ -½ radicchio, 1 pear, 1 ounce parmesan cheese
Cooking Tips
- Massaging kale: To soften kale's texture and reduce its bitterness, massage it with a bit of oil until it becomes tender.
- Cooking lentils: Ensure lentils are cooked until just tender to avoid them becoming mushy in the salad.
- Preparing honeyed walnuts: Watch the walnuts closely while baking to prevent burning, as the honey can cause them to caramelize and darken quickly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Kale & Lentil Salad with Pear and Roasted Walnuts
Amount per Serving
Calories
297.9
% Daily Value*
Fat
19.6
g
30
%
Saturated Fat
2.6
g
16
%
Cholesterol
4.1
mg
1
%
Sodium
339
mg
15
%
Potassium
345
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
25.3
g
8
%
Fiber
7.7
g
32
%
Sugar
11.5
g
13
%
Protein
8.3
g
17
%
Vitamin C
22.6
mg
27
%
Vitamin D
0.02
µg
0
%
Calcium
123
mg
12
%
Iron
2.2
mg
12
%
Magnesium
51.7
mg
13
%
Zinc
1.5
mg
10
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.