BHA & BHT Free Kale, Apple & Walnut Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
This vibrant salad is a textbook example of how whole, minimally processed ingredients can come together into something genuinely crave-worthy. The secret weapon is the massage step — working sea salt into the kale by hand breaks down its tough fibers, transforming it into something tender and almost silky before a single drop of dressing hits the bowl. From there, the lemon tahini dressing — built from tahini, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, raw honey, and a pinch of turmeric — brings a nutty, citrusy depth that ties every element together beautifully. Crisp apple slices, dry-roasted walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries add crunch, sweetness, and satisfying heft in every forkful. Avoiding BHA and BHT can be surprisingly tricky with salads, since many store-bought dressings, roasted nuts, and dried fruits rely on those synthetic preservatives to extend shelf life. Every component here is made from scratch or chosen with clean sourcing in mind — fresh lemon juice instead of bottled, raw honey, and cranberries sweetened only with fruit juice. The dressing comes together in minutes with a whisk and a small bowl, so there's no reason to reach for anything packaged. It's the kind of salad that actually fills you up and makes you feel good about every bite.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 large bunch curly or lacinato kale (about 8 oz), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ cup dry-roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (unsweetened juice or lightly sweetened with fruit juice)
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2–3 tbsp water, to thin
Instructions
- 1
Place the torn kale in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the sea salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale firmly for 1–2 minutes until the leaves darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, grated garlic, turmeric, and black pepper until smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the dressing is pourable and coats the back of a spoon.
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