This Red Root Kale Salad is not only a healthy meal choice, but it’s quick to make and tasty too. Vibrant beets and radishes are tossed with matchstick apple slices in a simple avocado oil vinaigrette and seasoned with pepper. We added a handful of microgreens into the mix as well, but you can skip if your local store doesn’t have them.
Radishes have several nutrients to support overall health. Not only do they contain fiber, potassium, and vitamin C,1 but one study found that radishes contain an antifungal protein that can reduce Candida albicans fungus, which is found in humans.2 Beets, the other red-root star of this salad, provide folate and nitrites that can support athletic performance.3, 4
TIPS:
- Wear gloves and an apron and protect countertops with parchment paper to prevent the beets from staining hands and surfaces.
- As the seasons change, add fresh and dried fruits and nuts.
- Instead of balsamic vinegar, whip up the dressing for this Red Root Kale Salad with an apple-beet infused shrub, made ahead of time.
- Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) omissions and substitutions are listed in the recipe ingredients.
Love our recipes? Make going Paleo even easier and download our 7-Day and 28-Day digital meal plans!
References
- Radishes, raw [Internet]. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture ; 2019 [cited 2025 Jan 14]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169276/nutrients
- Thevissen K, Tavares PM, Xu D, Blankenship JR, Vandenbosch D, Jolanta Idkowiak-Baldys, et al. The plant defensin RsAFP2 induces cell wall stress, septin mislocalization and accumulation of ceramides in Candida albicans. 2012 Apr 1;84(1):166–80. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08017.x
- Romero SA, Gagnon D, Adams AN, Moralez G, Kouda K, Jaffery MF, et al. Folic acid ingestion improves skeletal muscle blood flow during graded handgrip and plantar flexion exercise in aged humans. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology. 2017 Sep 1;313(3):H658–66. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5625172/
- Domínguez R, Cuenca E, Maté-Muñoz J, García-Fernández P, Serra-Paya N, Estevan M, et al. Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Cardiorespiratory Endurance in Athletes. A Systematic Review. Nutrients [Internet]. 2017 Jan 6;9(1):43. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5295087/
Red Root Kale Salad
- Recipe by: Kimberly Lord Stewart
- Serves: 2
- Meal: Lunch
- Serves: 2
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
6 oz Lacinato kale
6 radishes
1 apple
1 large beet (about 10 oz.)
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp avocado oil
Ground pepper, to taste (AIP - omit)
Handful microgreens (optional)
Directions
Thinly slice kale into ¼-inch strips.
Cut tops off radishes and discard. Cut radishes in half and into matchsticks. Core apple and cut into matchsticks. Peel beet and grate with a food processor or box grater.
In a small bowl, whisk vinegar and avocado oil. Season with pepper.
Place kale, radishes, apple, beet, and microgreens in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette and serve immediately.
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