Breakfast Salad
This breakfast salad is a game changer! Made with kale, green apples, farro, vegan sausage, vegan feta, walnuts, and cherries. This dish is packed with protein and nutrients and is an amazing way to kick off the morning.
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Salad for breakfast?! That’s right! This salad is incredibly satisfying and a great new way to eat breakfast. This dish can be served as the full meal or it is great as a side dish for quiche or any other brunch item. It is best when eaten right away, but you can prep ahead of time and store for a few days. The kale just gets a bit softer. The most time consuming element of this dish is the farro. So you can also prep the farro ahead of time for a much speedier preparation of the dish.
VEGAN SAUSAGE
There are several brands of vegan sausage out there that do a fantastic job with flavor and texture. Not only are they delicious, they are a great source of protein! For this recipe I went for a maple breakfast vegan sausage. It’s savory with a touch of sweetness from the maple. Not into vegan sausage? You can replace it with regular breakfast sausage links of course, or if you want to keep it vegan…mushrooms sauteed in a bit of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup would serve as an excellent replacement.
VEGAN FETA
Yes! There is finally feta that is vegan and tastes like the original dairy feta! I am personally stoked about this. This vegan feta offers a unique tart, creamy element to the dish. Instead of using a creamy dressing, I love to dress my greens with lemon, maple syrup, vegan feta, and salt. Trust me, it’s incredibly flavorful.
FARRO
Farro is an amazing grain with a unique texture and slightly nutty flavor. It’s full of nutrients, including iron, magnesium, and fiber. It is also great for digestion. Farro is a great addition to any salad. It helps bulk up a dish and fuel you for hours.
KALE
Amongst many, many benefits, kale is high in antioxidants, great for digestion, and promotes liver health. The trick to making kale a lot more palatable is in the seasoning and making sure you massage it. That’s right. You must massage your kale! This makes it a lot softer and more palatable. To massage your kale, squeeze lemon juice or olive oil on it and massage it for at least a minute of so. You will be able to feel the difference. Seasoning your kale is also important. In this recipe, the kale is seasoned with lemon, vegan feta, maple syrup, and salt.
Breakfast Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup farro (uncooked)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 bunches Kale
- 4 Apples
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 8 vegan breakfast sausage links
Cherries
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup water
Dressing
- 4 lemons, juice
- zest of two lemons
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
FARRO
- Bring 1 1/4 cup farro and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt
- Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Keep covered with a tight lid and stir occationally
- When water is absorbed remove from heat and let stand for 10 minute
CHERRIES
- In a small pan combine 1/2 cup water, 1 cup of dried cherries, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed. About 5 minutes
- Set aside
COOK THE VEGAN SAUSAGE
- Cook the vegan sausage in an air fryer or on the stovetop until browned on the outside
- Remove sausage from heat and cut into pieces. Set aside
PREP INGREDIENTS
- Cut dice apples into bite sized pieces, remove the core. Set aside
- Remove the stems from the kale and discard the stems
- Chop the kale into bite sized pieces. Set aside
MASSAGE THE KALE
- Add kale to a large bowl
- Add all the ingredients listed under dressing
- Massage the kale with your hands for at least a minute, until kale is softer and evenly coated
- Add the remaining ingredients to the kale and stir until evenly mixed
- Serve as a main dish or as a side!
