Kale and sweet potato salad

I love sweet potato but since I had kidney stones last year I stayed away from them for awhile learning that they have high levels of oxalate which contribute to kidney stones. However with the fall season among us I couldn’t help but migrate towards salads with sweet potato. I also figure everything in moderation so when I came across a salad that had two main ingredients that I love, kale and sweet potato I had to try it, and I am so glad I did because it’s so good. I modified the original recipe I found adding candied pecans because I love a bit of sweetness to my salads 🙂

Ingredients

1 sweet potato
1/2 kale
1 apple – (I used both green and red to add color)
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Maple Mustard Dressing

2 Tablespoons maple syrup
4 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Candied pecans

1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup pecan halves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon bittersweet smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 425F. Scrub sweet potato then slice into 1/2 or 1/4 inch slices. Bake for 50 minutes and let cool.
To make the candied pecans, heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pecan halves, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and a couple of pinches of sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pecans are coated in a sticky glaze and no liquid remains in the pan, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a parchment-lined plate and spread them out in a single layer to cool.
Cut thin slices of apples.
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl until smooth.
Chop up kale.
Combine all the ingredients and add the dressing.
Serve immediately.