Apple Dijon Kale Salad Meal Prep
Description: This Apple Dijon Kale Salad is a hearty and filling meal prep option that is perfect for lunches throughout the week. It features sturdy kale, crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, sweet raisins, and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette, all topped with cheddar cheese for extra flavor and richness. The recipe yields four large portions and is designed to be budget-friendly, with a low cost per serving.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bunch kale (about 10-12 oz)
- 1 apple
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 oz cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper until well combined. If making ahead, store the dressing in a separate container.
- Prepare the kale: Wash and de-stem the kale. Chop the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. If the kale is tough, you can massage it with a little olive oil for a minute or two to soften it.
- Prepare the apple: Core and chop the apple into bite-sized pieces. If you are concerned about browning, toss the apple pieces with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the chopped kale, chopped apple, raisins, and chopped walnuts.
- Add the dressing: Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add more dressing as needed, to your preference. If meal prepping, you can either dress the salad now or pack the dressing separately. Kale holds up well to dressing for several days.
- Add the cheese: Chop the cheddar cheese into cubes and toss it with the salad. If meal prepping, you can pack the cheese separately or add it on top of the dressed salad.
- Portion the salad: Divide the salad into four meal prep containers. If packing the dressing separately, use small containers or bags for the dressing.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the meal prep containers. The salad can be eaten cold directly from the container.