Salmon, Avacado & Sweet Potato Kale Salad

I found this recipe on Pinterest but it comes from a Buzz Feed post for a GetFit Challenge. There were five salad recipes but I chose the salmon salad to make and it was amazing! It was so simple, so fresh but full of flavor. I thought I’d re-post the recipe here for others and for me to find again later on.

Makes 1 serving

For this recipe you need to roast a salmon fillet. If you want, you can roast several 6-ounce fillets at once, then eat leftover fillets for other lunches and dinners. Leftover roasted salmon will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS
1 6-ounce fillet salmon, skinless
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 ¼-inch slices of lemon
juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup kale leaves, stems removed, leaves sliced into ribbons ½-inch thick (I used baby kale)
½ cup roasted sweet potato cubes (recipe below)
⅓ avocado, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped dill (optional, but recommended)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

If you’re on the 1,400 or 1,700 calorie plan: Prepare this recipe as written. 519 calories, 23 g fat (3.8 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate (9.7 g dietary fiber, 9.2 g sugars), 49 g protein
If you’re on the 2,000 or 2,300 calorie plan: increase to 1 ½ cups kale and ¾ cup roasted sweet potato. 595 calories, 23 g fat (3.8 g saturated fat), 46 g carbohydrate (12.4 g dietary fiber, 15.1 g sugars), 51 g protein

PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Season the salmon fillet with a little bit of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper on all sides. Lay the lemon slices next to each other on the baking sheet, then place the seasoned salmon fillet on top of the lemon slices. Roast in the preheated oven until the salmon is opaque on the outside and flakes easily with a fork, but still pink on the inside. A salmon fillet 1-inch thick will take about 8 minutes to cook; a thicker fillet will take about an additional 4 minutes per extra ½-inch of thickness. Let the salmon cool at least 5 minutes, then cut it into 1-inch cubes.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Whisk the mixture, then add the olive oil while continuing to whisk. Add the kale ribbons and use your hands to massage the vinaigrette into the kale until it starts to soften, about 30 seconds. Add avocado, roasted sweet potato cubes, cucumber, and herbs, and toss everything together.
Transfer to a bowl and top with the cubed salmon. If you cooked the salmon ahead of time, it’s fine to eat it cold in the salad.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
½ teaspoon olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes
pinch of kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the parchment with the olive oil.
Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then cut them into ½-inch cubes. Spread the cubed sweet potatoes out over the baking sheet and season them with a little bit of salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until they’re soft and lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.
Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly before eating; cool leftovers completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.