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This is one of those really really simple recipes I've shared a hundred times on Facebook and in my newsletter, etc, but for some reason, it's never made it into a blog post.

I think maybe I thought it was too simple to be a recipe to share here? That the recipes here needed to be some gourmet creation that put me on par with the great food bloggers (ha!).

Whatevs.

I need to get over myself and post recipes that you guys will actually want to make and eat, eh? Including ones that take approximately 5 minutes to make and can be done at that last minute when you are scrambling to feed the dog, get the kids' homework off the table and away from any food stains, and figure out exactly WHERE said kids are. Scratch that, you probably can tell by the sound of bickering coming from a few rooms away.

Kale is one of those green things that everyone always says you should eat because it's so healthy for you, but I know that some people just don't like the taste of it. This salad has enough of a tang from lime juice and flavor from the sesame oil to cover much of the taste of the kale, so it might be a good way for kale-haters to get their greens in.

My kids eat it with fervor. Well, they pick out the cranberries first and eat them, then they eat the rest, so I take that to mean they like it.

Kale and Almond Salad - a paleo, gluten-free, and vegetarian easy side dish

Kale is also a great multi-seasonal item. It grows well in all sorts of weather, which also makes it pretty inexpensive. Even more so if you can grow it yourself!

So here's the recipe – hope you enjoy!

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Kale Salad with Cranberries and Almonds Recipe

If you make this salad, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Either comment below or share a pic on Instagram and tag me @thrivingonpaleo!

Kale Salad with Cranberries and Almonds

Author: Michele Spring

Servings:

A 10-minute kale salad that can be made when you are super busy. Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. This side dish recipe goes with everything!

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Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Ingredients

1 bunch Kale
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries (use fruit-juice sweetened for Whole30)
1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
1 tbs Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Macadamia Nut or Avocado Oil
Juice of 1 Lime (about 1 tbs)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut the kale into small pieces, removing the particularly thick stems. Massage the kale for several minutes (this helps soften the kale and makes it easier to eat).
Add the rest of the ingredients and toss.

Notes

This salad is one of those that you can completely make ahead of time and it doesn’t seem to get all soggy. By nature, it is already sort of a soggy salad, but the kale holds up and doesn’t disinegrate.

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: Paleo, salad, side, Whole30

Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below or share a photo on Instagram and tag me @thrivingonpaleo !

36 Comments

Name: Kale Salad with Cranberries and Almonds
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch Kale; 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries (use fruit-juice sweetened for Whole30); 1/4 cup Sliced Almonds; 1 tbs Sesame Oil; 1/4 cup Macadamia Nut or Avocado Oil; Juice of 1 Lime (about 1 tbs); Salt and Pepper to taste

← Older Comments

Georgina Young on March 28, 2017 at 9:14 am
Oh my god I seriously love kale salads! And I love dried cranberries but can never find any unsweetened ones in my health food shop? Might be worth me ordering from abroad ha!
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:45 am
  Haha, I think using the sweetened ones isn’t a huge deal if you are only sprinkling a few on a salad. We try to get the apple juice sweetened ones but sometimes we cheat 🙂
Vanessa woozley on March 27, 2017 at 10:07 am
I’m not a kale fan either, I love kale crisps but maybe I should try it like this, it sounds yummy.
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:46 am
  Thanks Vanessa!
Real Food with Dana on March 27, 2017 at 8:26 am
I’m the same way with recipes – I always think I have to overcomplicate things for the blog, but really, what I want to give people are easy recipes that they’ll make all the time, just like I do in my own kitchen. So I’ve started sharing more like that recently and love it, because it’s so easy to refer back to them for readers and nutrition clients! 🙂
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:46 am
  Seriously! Let’s go on a mission to de-complicate things 🙂
Becky Winkler on March 26, 2017 at 9:03 pm
Love kale salads! This one looks great.
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:46 am
  Thanks Becky!
Rachel on March 25, 2017 at 10:32 pm
So kale is naturally an all-season ingredient? Winning!
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:48 am
  It depends on where you live. Where you are in California, it can grow all year. Here in Colorado it’s more of a 3 season but it can also be grown in a hoop house or cold frame (for when you aren’t lazy, like we’ve been this year, haha).
Katja on March 25, 2017 at 2:46 pm
This looks delish! And I have all of the ingredients!!
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:48 am
  Thanks Katja!
ChihYu on March 24, 2017 at 7:18 pm
Love kale salad ! It’s so healthy and there are so many different ways to dress them up. Totally love it !!
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:48 am
  Thanks ChihYu!
Cristina Curp on March 24, 2017 at 6:52 pm
Love this flavor combo, and macadamia nut oil is a recent favorite of mine. Yum! Luckily I can get it almost anywhere he in Hawaii!
- Michele on March 28, 2017 at 11:49 am
  Oh that’s awesome. I bet it’s really delicious there.