Baby kale salad with avocado and parmesan is a quick and easy dish to enjoy any time. It’s perfect for a light lunch or to serve at the start of dinner.
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The popularity of kale really blew up after becoming a staple ingredient for healthy smoothies. I’ve seen it used in everything from chips to popsicles. But my favorite spot for this leafy green is still in soups and salads.
Why is Kale So Popular?
Kale is a trendy vegetable because it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. For starters, it contains a huge amount of vitamins A and C, both of which are antioxidants.
One cup of kale has about 200% of the daily value of A and 130% of C. In addition, there’s a decent amount of calcium (roughly 10 percent).
But the one nutrient kale is loaded with is vitamin K. There’s almost 700% daily value of K. That’s just one reason to make my baby kale salad recipe.
Kale also contains over a quarter of your supply of manganese. Like vitamin K, manganese plays a role in bone health.
But the benefits of manganese go beyond bones. If you’re counting your net grams of carbs, you’ll be glad that manganese helps normalize blood sugar levels.
Pound for pound, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It also contains essential fatty acids and a decent amount of copper.
Is Baby Kale Low Carb?
One serving size of baby kale is about 2 cups. Each serving contains about 9 grams of total carbs and 2 grams of fiber.
With 7 grams of net carbs per serving, baby kale may not be the best choice for a ketogenic diet. Because it has more carbohydrates than other low carb vegetables, you may only want to consume it occasionally.
But I find it’s worth the extra carbs for all the added health benefits. So let’s dig in and see how easy this recipe is.
How to make the best baby kale salad
It couldn’t be easier to make this baby kale recipe. All you do is toss together baby kale, sliced almonds, avocado, bacon, and parmesan cheese in a big bowl.
Then I like to top everything off with my olive oil and balsamic vinegar salad dressing. Of course, you can use any vinaigrette that you like or choose another favorite low carb salad dressing.
I also like to dress up the top with some additional grated parmesan cheese and bacon. You can also sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste.
Is this a Healthy Baby Kale Recipe?
This salad is not any less nutritious due to the fact that it contains dairy. In fact, the cheese plays an important part in helping curb cravings. But, you can certainly replace the Parmesan with a dairy-free alternative if desired.
You want your salads to have a decent amount of natural dietary fat. Otherwise, you could end up overeating the main entree and be unable to resist snacking on high-carb foods later.
That’s why I include a few healthy fats in this keto kale salad recipe: parmesan, bacon, avocado and olive oil.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: bacon is healthy?
Yes, it’s true that industrial bacon is one of the worst things for you. But if the bacon is nitrate-free and cured without sugar, a little bit of it is good for you.
Natural, minimally-processed fat is the best thing for avoiding high-sugar, high-starch foods on a keto diet. And fat is the one macronutrient that does not raise blood sugar levels at all.
Even eating too much protein can raise your blood sugar levels. That’s why it’s not a good idea to eat a lot of animal protein.
However, when it comes to olive oil and avocado, you don’t have to feel guilty about the fat content. Think of fat as your friend, especially for those following low carb diets.
Adding Crunch to the Baby kale Parmesan Salad
I don’t know about you, but I gotta have some crunch in my salads. For this recipe, I use sliced almonds.
And not only do almonds provide a pleasing, crunchy and hearty texture, they’re no nutritional slouch either. They also have natural fat, protein and fiber.
One cup of sliced almonds contains over 60% of the daily value for magnesium. They are also high in calcium and iron.
Why Make this Kale Avocado Salad?
This baby kale salad is so easy to make. And because it contains a lot of good fats, you really can eat it as if it were an entree.
I think one of the best ways to slim down is to eat a high fat salad for lunch and for dinner at least a few days a week.
But if nothing else, this recipe is perfect for those times when you’re making something quick for your family. Or for when you’re hosting guests for dinner.
Enjoy this super simple salad! And if you want to change up the flavor, try using my avocado cilantro dressing.
Other Recipes to Try
This salad is simple starter to any meal. And it goes great with every day recipes like low carb chicken casserole or skillet dishes.
Need some more quick and easy keto salad ideas? Here’s a few more to try:
And be sure to let me know what you think of this simple baby kale recipe in the comments.
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Baby Kale Avocado Salad with Parmesan
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Ingredients
- 5 ounces baby kale and or baby spinach
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 medium avocado diced
- 8 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Instructions
- In large bowl, combine baby kale, sliced almonds, avocado, bacon and Parmesan cheese.
- Blend in salad dressing and serve.
Notes
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Nutrition
Additional Info
Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
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Lisa MarcAurele has been creating low carb recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
