Kale Stems with Caramelized Onions and Bacon

This colorful salad uses a less-popular part of kale and combines sweet and savory notes derived from bacon and maple syrup. The salad’s vibrant colors and textures make it worthy of being the main entree.

Ingredients

1 bunch curly kale, washed and dried
4 slices bacon, diced
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. tahini
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 Tbs. cider vinegar (optional)

Directions

1. Remove leaves from kale, break into bite-size pieces, and set aside. Chop stems into thin rounds.

2. Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook for 2 minutes; then add onion and chopped kale stems. Stir to coat. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown and very soft.

3. Add reserved kale leaves, and stir. Cover, and cook for 6–8 additional minutes or until leaves are wilted fully. Remove from heat.

4. Stir together tahini, maple syrup and cider vinegar, if using, in a small bowl. Drizzle over kale-bacon mixture before serving.

PER SERVING (1 cup): 185 cal, 10g fat (5g mono, 3g poly, 3g sat), 7mg chol, 28mg sodium, 18g carb (3g fiber, 10g sugars), 4g protein

This recipe and photo was provided by New Hope Network. FoodTrients is a member of the New Hope Influencer Co-op, a network of health and wellness bloggers committed to spreading more health to more people.