Lately I have become obsessed with chimichurri. This bright green sauce is primarily used in South American cuisine and it’s comprised of nourishing parsley, raw garlic, a little hot pepper and vinegar. I honestly think you could throw this stuff on anything and it would taste good. The sauce is traditionally used to top meat, but let me tell you, it pairs perfectly with some spicy chipotle sweet potato wedges. I’ve developed this kale salad with chimichurri that has quickly become a staple in my lunch life: massaged kale, farro, chipotle sweet potatoes, chimichuri, avocado, radish & pumpkin seeds.
For the massaged kale base:
- 2 big handfuls of kale (about 2 cups) I used dino kale in these photos
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
(Wash and chop your kale. Pour lemon juice, oil, salt and vinegar over your chopped kale and massaged with your hands to allow the kale to break down and become softer for eating, let sit for a few minutes)
For the chipotle sweet potatoes:
(This recipe is for a larger batch, I like to make a bunch and store them in the fridge so they’re ready to go anytime I want to put together this bowl!)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry 3 sweet potatoes. Cut the potatoes into large wedges with the skin still on, I find that roasting sweet potatoes with the skin still on give you a crispier wedge. Toss the wedges in 1 tbsp of avocado oil (or another safe high heat oil), 1/2 tsp of sea salt, 1 tsp garlic powder and 2 tsp of ground chipotle pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For the Chimichurri:
(disclaimer: I don’t know if this is the most authentic recipe but this is how I’ve adapted the traditional recipe to fit my preferences)
- 1 bunch of parsley ( I like to include most of the stems, because why not!)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 a jalapeño or red chili pepper (can sub with 2 tsp red pepper flakes)
- dash of dried or fresh oregano (optional)
- healthy sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
(Using a chopper or food processor, process the parsley with half of the olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, jalapeño, salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and then mix in the rest of the olive oil. )
For the rest of the bowl:
- 1/2 cup cooked farro
- 1 radish (sliced)
- 1/2 an avocado
- handful of pumpkin seeds
