^[1]If you want an easy way to add some greens to your holiday table, this salad is for you.  My Grandpa used to make cranberry bread for Thanksgiving, and this is basically that — in salad form.  Cranberries, walnuts, orange, all mixed together … it’s like the holidays in a bowl!  Add this to your holiday table (works just as well for Christmas as Thanksgiving), and see if it doesn’t bring a little extra smile to your face.  Originally posted at and reprinted from Esther at A,B,C,Vegan ^[2].

Serves: 1

• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 7 to 8 leaves kale
• 3/4 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Arrange walnuts and cranberries on a baking sheet or foil and toast for 3-4 minutes in toaster oven.  Watch carefully to make sure the nuts don’t burn – when the cranberries start popping, remove sheet from oven!

While nuts and cranberries are toasting, rip kale leaves into bite-size pieces. Discard stems.

Add olive oil, orange juice, and sea salt to kale leaves.  Massage for at least a minute.  Yes, this means put your hands into the bowl (wash them first!) and get them dirty!  Rub the leaves together to massage in the oil and break down the fibers.  Kale will become darker and bright green as you work.

Add toasted nuts and cranberries to kale leaves.

Enjoy!!

• Here are more recipes for hardy greens. ^[3]
• Explore more of VegKitchen’s super savory salads. ^[4]

Esther is a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and plant-based nutritionist.  She works and blogs at A,B,C,Vegan ^[2], where she helps new vegans, experienced vegans, and the merely curious explore this wonderful world, giving inspiration, motivation, and community for a vegan lifestyle.