Chopped Kale and Blueberry Salad Recipe

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Today I’m sharing my chopped kale and blueberry salad recipe. It is one of my favorite ways to add vegetables to my meal plan.

Are you trying to eat more vegetables? The most well-researched diet patterns that yield the highest health benefits include the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), and a plant-based diet.

All of these encourage a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and fats that promote heart health. This chopped kale and blueberry salad recipe contains all of these components.

Salad isn’t just for restrictive diets

If you notice the ingredients in this salad, you’ll notice that it isn’t exactly low-calorie. That is never my aim!

I’m a non-diet dietitian who believes that our bodies need proper fuel to run at our peaks.

Moms are busy people, and we often under fuel due to time constraints or a desire to cut calories. We’ll make sure our kids eat a balanced meal, but we put ourselves last.

But we need to pay attention to our wellness, too. How will we complete our daily tasks if we are run down, sick, and tired?

Health benefits of kale

Why kale? Not only is it loaded with antioxidants, manganese, and vitamins A, B, C, and K, it is high in fiber and holds up well when you add dressing and store it in the fridge.

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable—in the same family as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Cruciferous veggies can help boost our immune system and may help to lower your blood pressure.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that we get a variety of vegetables, including dark leafy greens.

I like to use pre-cut broccoli slaw to add even more nutritional value. If I don’t have it on hand, I’ll chop up fresh broccoli and carrots to add to the salad.

Plant-based protein

I add chickpeas to this salad for fiber and protein. As a beef farmer, my diet is plenty high in meat, so I like to include plant-based meals like this salad for balance.

Research shows that plant-based diets can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of cancer, and may prevent conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

While I don’t want to commit to vegetarianism, anyone can benefit from adding in plant-based meals.

Benefits of blueberries

Blueberries are also rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help repair the damage we do to our body—exposure to harmful chemicals, lack of sleep, highly processed foods, pollution, etc.

Eating foods that provide antioxidants can reduce your risk for diseases such as cancer and heart disease. In addition, blueberries taste great and add more fiber, manganese, potassium, and vitamins C and K.

Homemade dressing vs. store-bought dressing

Making your own dressing is a lot easier than it sounds. Plus, homemade dressing is better for you than store-bought dressing. Store-bought dressing often contains preservatives, additives, and vegetable oil.

In my dressings, I like to use avocado oil or olive oil—both containing monounsaturated fatty acids that can lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise your good cholesterol (HDL).

Diet patterns like the Mediterranean diet contain more monounsaturated fats and can be beneficial for your overall health. Fat is needed in your diet to help keep you full and to absorb and metabolize certain vitamins and minerals.

The homemade dressing is made with the oil of your choosing. Then you simply add vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning to your liking.

Typical vinaigrette dressing recipes use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar or lemon juice, but I prefer more of a zesty flavor in my salads. You can play around with the ratio until you find the perfect mixture for your tastes.

Stuck in a diet rut? Would you like to find out how to incorporate more veggies into your diet in a non-restrictive way? You deserve to eat ALL FOODS without guilt. I can help you add nourishing foods while you continue to eat the foods you love.