Kale Chickpea Salad with Cranberries
Easy, and perfect for meal prep, Kale Chickpea Salad with Cranberries takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Make it ahead of time for a packed lunch or a quick weeknight dinner. High in protein, calcium and iron. (Gluten-free)
Servings: 3 to 6 people
Calories: 914kcal
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups shredded carrots (about 5 to 6 medium-large carrots)
For the ginger carrot dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 1 inch knob ginger peeled, roughly chopped (or 1 tablespoon grated)
- 1 medium lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
For the salad:
- 3 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 2 medium)
- 30 ounces canned chickpeas drained, and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked)
- 6 cups chopped curly kale (about 9 stems)
- 1 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins (preferably unsweetened) optional
- 1 cup raw pepitas optional
- 4 ½ tablespoons hemp seeds optional
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Add 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium-large carrots), olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, zest 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, and salt to a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Adjust lemon juice, and salt to taste.
- Make jars (optional): Place 3 (32-ounce) mason jars in a row. To each jar, add ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon dressing, or divide the dressing between the 3 jars evenly. Then add ¾ cup shredded carrots, 1 cup bell pepper, 1 cup chickpeas, 2 cups kale, ⅓ cup dried cranberries, ⅓ cup pepitas, and 1 ½ tablespoons hemp seeds. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
- For serving:Jars: Shake the jar. Invert and shake it over a medium bowl. Use a spoon to remove any remaining dressing. Mix well to combine. Add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste. Skip the jars and combine the salad and dressing in a large bowl instead. Add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.
Video
Notes
- Add the dressing first, so the other ingredients do not get mushy.
- This dressing will stick to the bottom after some time. Give the jar a good shake before inverting, and use a spoon to scoop out any remaining dressing. You can also keep the dressing on the side for serving. Pack it in single serve containers for on-the-go.
- Roast the chickpeas for a tasty crunch. Toss them with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Roast at 425ºF for about 15 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
- Fill three (32-ounce) mason jars for one to two servings, and up to 35 grams protein, per jar. Or you can use any size canning jar you desire.
- To fit this salad into jars in equal amounts without leftovers, the combined jar capacity must equal 96 ounces. For example, you can use eight (12-ounce) jars, six (16-ounce) jars, and so on.
- Storage: Jars: Refrigerate Kale Chickpea Salad with Cranberries mason jars, lid-side up, for up to 4 to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 914kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 1802mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 39208IU | Vitamin C: 257mg | Calcium: 532mg | Iron: 13mg