There are so many ways to make salads: using raw vegetables or cooked ones. You can also make them light as an appetizer, or nutrient and calorie-dense giving you enough for a full meal. This sweet potato and kale salad uses raw tomatoes, with cooked potatoes and lightly steamed kale, and it is a full meal.
![Vegan, paleo and gluten free kale sweet potato salad](https://www.nicolaspujol.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/vegan-paleo-and-gluten-free-kale-sweet-potato-salad.jpg)
Days when I am in the office and do not physical exercise do not require a lot of calories. Even if I feel I did not eat to be 100% full, I can function with somewhat less energy supply. But days I go out on a bike ride for an hour or two, there is no way I can function at the top without some energy. Muscle glycogen stores get depleted, and while the body transitions to burning fat, this process is less efficient and slows me down quite a bit. So this salad was perfect as the sweet potatoes plus the olive oil provided a solid supply of quality carbohydrates and fat for fuel.
![Peeled sweet potatoes and kale for salad preparation](https://www.nicolaspujol.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/peeled-sweet-potatoes-and-kale-for-salad-preparation.jpg)
This dish checks many boxes, containing no gluten, no grain, no animal product, making it Paleo, vegan, gluten free, and most importantly, nutritious. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins and micro-nutrients, and so are kale, tomatoes, olive oil and lemon juice. If you’re looking for something quick and easy to make and ideal for fitness, this salad provides a perfect main dish.
![Steamed kale salad with sweet potatoes](https://www.nicolaspujol.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/steamed-kale-salad-with-sweet-potatoes.jpg)
![Sweet potato and kale salad](https://www.nicolaspujol.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/sweet-potato-and-kale-salad-500x500.jpg)
Sweet potato and kale salad
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato (1 large or 2 small)
- 1 tomato
- 2 cups kale (about 2 stems)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 avocado optional
Instructions
- Put water to boil in a large pan.
- Peel the sweet potato and cut it in chunks no thicker than 1 inch, to allow it to cook in the estimated time. Chop the kale into bite size pieces. Rinse both.
- Place the sweet potato in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, add the kale on top and steam it for 2-3 minutes while the potatoes finish cooking.
- Strain both vegetables and place them on a plate.
- Cut the tomato, and optionally the avocado, add them to the sweet potatoes and kale. Sprinkle with olive oil and lemon juice. (salt optional)
Nutrition
![Sweet potato and kale salad](https://www.nicolaspujol.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/sweet-potato-and-kale-salad.jpg)
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