Sweet Potato & Kale Salad

There has been a "super food" hype about kale recently and I've decided to explore the subject. It turns out that it is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, amongst many other health benefits. However, there are a couple of controversial things about kale, also. For example, it  contains a compound that can suppress thyroid function in certain people. It is still healthy, this is not to discourage from including it in your diet, but as with everything else it's probably best not to go overboard with kale and to simply integrate it into an overall healthful diet full of other fruits and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 3 cups kale, torn into 1-inch pieces
• ⅛ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ¾ cup finely sliced green onions
• ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Add the chopped sweet potatoes to a large baking pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer. Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and soft.
2. Meanwhile, place a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the walnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown and toasted (about 4 minutes). Place the walnuts in a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet and add ½ tablespoon olive oil. Add the kale and cook until wilted and soft (just a few minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, h and remaining honey, ½ tablespoon olive oil.
4. When the potatoes are done cooking, add them to a large bowl. Add in the walnuts, kale, green onions, coriander and Parmesan cheese. Add the lime juice mixture to the bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   
   The recipe, with modifications, comes from a blog Cookie Monster Cooking.