Sweet Potato, Lentil, & Kale Detox Salad

During the month of January you're not allowed to have cookies or cake or pizza or chips or gluten or pasta or fun.

You heard me. There is no fun to be had throughout the month of January. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

I kid! While everyone else is guzzling green juicy juice, I'm over here noshing on piece after piece of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel toast slathered with almond buttah and nanners wondering how in the hell anyone could give up bread and maintain their sanity. I would be so mean!!

Cleanses shmenses.

As I mentioned in my last post, you need not rid yourself of anything with texture in order to detoxify your organs. I swear you're not gonna fall over and die if you accidentally eat a chocolate chip and then accidentally eat three handfuls more. Oops.

This salad is the bomb diggity because it's not a bunch of raw veggies pretending to like each other when actually they can barely stand being in the same room together, let alone the same salad. Of the four signature salads I created for Alchemy, this one really has my heart. It's a meal in a bowl without being soup, which I've had plenty of this season. Lately I feel like everything I eat is liquid.

Smoothies. Soup. Soupy curry. GIVE THIS WOMAN SOME TEXTURE WOULD YOU?!

Since every detox salad absolutely must involve kale (it's written in the detox constitution donchayaknow), this recipe is no exception. It has just enough kale to qualify as detoxy, but it's not a kale salad. It's a sweet tater salad. The best kind of salad.

I used za'atar spice in this recipe, which is a blend of sumac, sesame seeds, and Mediterranean spices. I love the unique flavor it gives this salad, but feel free to leave it out if you can't find it at the store. I like to douse it this salad Frank's hot sauce because I douse everything in Frank's hot sauce. No exception here.

Let's just say this salad makes healthy eating a piece of cake. Ya know...a piece of gluten-free cake made with almond meal and free of refined sugar.

Ya, that kind.

Sweet Potato, Lentil, & Kale Detox Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph, MS, RD, LD
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Yield: 4
• Category: Salad

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Ingredients

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For the salad:

• 1 ½ cups brown lentils + 3 cups water
• 4 cups chopped sweet potatoes
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ head kale, very finely chopped
• ½ red onion, chopped
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp za'atar
• juice of half an orange
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Place lentils and water in medium pot on high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes on until lentils are cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, place chopped sweet potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until tender.
3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils, cooked sweet potatoes, cilantro, kale, red onion, and dressing.
5. Serve warm or cold. This is delicious with hot sauce!

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