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Home » Blog » Type » Salad » Kale Butternut Squash Salad & Candied Pecans {Paleo, GF, Low Cal}

Kale Butternut Squash Salad & Candied Pecans {Paleo, GF, Low Cal}

Published: Jan 26, 2015 · Modified: Aug 14, 2020 by Megan

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Paleo Kale Butternut Squash Salad with Candied Pecans! Dressed in a horseradish dressing and accessorized with candied pecans this winter salad is sure to warm you up with good health! Gluten Free + Low Calorie + Paleo

kale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecanskale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecans

Hope you're having a great start to your week! I don't know about you, but I kinda struggle getting enough greens in my meals during the winter. Something about a salad just doesn't sound that enticing when it's cold outside.

I always look to warmer, bulkier foods for my meals. I don't even like in place that's that cold either. I can't imagine living somewhere with real cold weather what I'd be eating. I've discovered that a warm salad can fill you up in the winter time as equally as a bulkier meal and be something you crave too.

kale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecans

This Winter Kale Butternut Squash Salad is equally delicious cold or warm. The dressing is very light. It doesn't overwhelm the salad like most do, which is something I love about it.

I can't stand it when you get a salad that's drenched in dressing and you can't taste the flavors. I actually think this salad tastes even better the next day after the flavors have mingled. Kale yeah!

You might not like kale now, but you will after you eat this. I'll be the first to admit kale has never been a favorite of mine.

It's too grimy, tough, hard to chew, makes my stomach grumble and has a distinct, funny taste. One or all of the above are my excuse(s) for not eating this powerhouse veggie.

I don't even like it in juices. A few weeks ago, I took a cooking class at Sur La Table and we made this kale salad. I fell in love. Of all the dishes, this was by far my favorite. So no, this isn't an original recipe created by yours truly but it was just too pretty not to photograph and share with you.

kale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecans

Honestly I like photographing the food more than eating it sometimes. I must've taken 50 pictures of this dish. It was so darn pretty and the lighting was perfect too.

Unfortunately all my picture taking is gonna need to be addressed soon as my photo storage is running out on the cloud and on my computer.

I need to start backing them up on an external hard drive and deleting off my computer. They're making my computer run slow and it's only a year old. Still amazes me how much my photography has changed in just a year.

kale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecans

But back to this Winter Kale Butternut Squash Salad, we can't overlook the star of the show...the spiced pecans. They're perfectly seasoned with a bit of spice and a bit of sweet.

They taste just like candy. I could eat them all day by the handful. I lightened mine up by using baking stevia which way less calories than brown sugar which is what the original recipe calls for.

I've tried it both ways and can tell you, you won't notice the difference either way so depending on your goals pick a side and go with it.

Even if you salad isn't your thing, you'll wanna pin the recipe just to make the pecans. If only the web smellovision and food sharing, I'd hand you handful to try right now. Enjoy the recipe!

kale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecans

kale_salad_butternut_squash_spiced_pecans

Winter Kale Butternut Squash Salad w/ Spiced Pecans

Megan Olson
A kale salad with roasted butternut squash dressed with a low-calorie dressing and topped with spiced pecans that taste like candy. The perfect winter salad that will make you warm and healthy.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Salad
Cuisine salad
Servings 8 servings
Calories 269 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Salad:

  • 2 bunches kale stems discarded and leaves cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 cups butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I buy mine pre-cut)

For the Dressing:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons walnut oil or coconut oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pecans:

  • 2 cups pecans raw, unsalted
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add butternut squash and spray with cooking spray.
  • Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake 45 minutes at 350 F until roasted and tender.
  • While the butternut squash cooks, whisk the egg in a medium bowl until frothy. Then add the sugar, salt and spices. Add pecans and stir to coat with mixture.
  • Spread the pecans in a single layer on a separate baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven 25 minutes and flip once half way through.
  • While the pecans are roasting whisk together mustard, lemon juice and honey in a medium bowl. Drizzle the oil slowly into the mixture as you whisk until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • To assemble the salad, place sliced kale in a large mixing bowl, add butternut squash, pecans and dressing. Toss to combine and eat!

Notes

  • My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my nutrition clients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 325mgPotassium: 397mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 7146IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Let me know!Let us know how it was!

What I Used For The Recipe

  

Paleo Kale Butternut Squash Salad with Candied Pecans! Dressed in a horseradish dressing and accessorized with candied pecans this winter salad is sure to warm you up with good health! Gluten Free + Low Calorie + Paleo

Paleo Kale Butternut Squash Salad with Candied Pecans! Dressed in a horseradish dressing and accessorized with candied pecans this winter salad is sure to warm you up with good health!

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.

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  1. Diana Rambles says

    February 05, 2015 at 8:03 pm

    I must make this!!!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      February 06, 2015 at 7:29 pm

      Hope you like it!

      Reply
  2. Caroline | carolinescooking says

    January 31, 2015 at 1:20 pm

    This looks really colorful and full of lots of things I know I like so can imagine they are good together. The cpiced pecans sound great too!

    Reply
  3. CJ Huang says

    January 30, 2015 at 11:12 am

    I'm loving this recipe! Especially the pecans. 🙂 I hope you can stop on by and share this or any other recipe with us on Five Friday Finds!

    Reply
  4. Rattlebridge Farm--Foodie Friday & Everything Else says

    January 30, 2015 at 10:25 am

    Wow, what a gorgeous salad! And gorgeous photos, too. Thanks so much for joining us at FF and Everything Else. Have a wonderful weekend!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      January 30, 2015 at 7:36 pm

      You too! Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Grace says

    January 28, 2015 at 1:51 pm

    Just stumbled across your blog from the Busy Mondays linky party. So glad I did! Your food pictures and recipes have me salivating! Would love for you to stop by my baking blog to say hello x

    Reply
    • Megan says

      January 28, 2015 at 6:52 pm

      Thanks for popping by! Loved your spinach tarts.

      Reply
  6. Diana says

    January 27, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    Omg that's a very beautiful salad! But kale is not sold anywhere where I live 🙁 I know it's weird and I love Kale but it's just impossible to find...

    Reply
    • Megan says

      January 27, 2015 at 6:47 pm

      That is weird. The salad would be just as delicious with another green.

      Reply
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Megan is a nutrition practitioner, author of the Low Calorie Cookbook and podcast host of the Dish On Ditching Diets. Megan helps women over 35 lose weight after losing 80 pounds herself. Here you get low calorie recipes for weight loss that balance hormones. Learn more about my weight loss programs HERE!

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