• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Spices in My DNA

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Sugar & Spice
  • Portfolio
  • Contact Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
You are here: Home / Salad / Apple Bacon Kale Salad with Brie Cheddar Grilled Cheese Croutons

Apple Bacon Kale Salad with Brie Cheddar Grilled Cheese Croutons

October 3, 2016 By Spices in My DNA Leave a Comment

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest15
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

img_8303
How to make Monday better: add GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS to your salad. Honestly, I never want to eat a salad without grilled cheese croutons ever again. If only, right?!

This salad SCREAMS fall and screams not-boring-and-also-healthier-comfort-food. Which is what I aim for always. I absolutely love my salads, and eat at least one if not two every single day, but sometimes you just need more than greens, veggies, and dressing. That is where this salad comes in.

img_8209 The combination of brie and white cheddar in this sammie is to die for. I also used a super crusty and seedy bread which I highly recommend. You need something sturdy that won’t fall apart when cut into little cheesy croutons.

Why didn’t I think of this before?
img_8240
Apple and bacon..another match made in heaven. When combined with grilled cheese, the combination is even better. The hearty kale is the perfect base for this fall salad, and the apple cider maple vinaigrette ties everything together. I’m addicted.
img_8267
Fall is my favorite time of year, period. It’s also my favorite time of year to play around with fun salads. It might sound kind of backwards, but I actually eat more salads in fall and winter than I do in summer.

I also start craving smoothies when the weather starts to get chiller, and drink them far more often for breakfast in the colder months than I do in summer. Weird, right? I have no idea why.
img_8319
Another great thing about this recipe is that it can be made the day before, since the kale is so hearty. Minus the grilled cheese croutons, of course. You wanna make those right before serving so that they’re melty and warm and perfect.

I mean, what could be better?

Print

Apple Bacon Kale Salad with Brie Cheddar Grilled Cheese Croutons

Course Main, Salad
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Molly (Spices in My DNA)

Ingredients

  • For the SALAD:
  • 1 head curly kale, de-stemmed and chopped
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 honeycrisp apple, diced
  • 4 thick slices crusty grainy bread
  • 3 oz. white cheddar, freshly grated
  • 4 ounces brie, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • For the apple cider maple DRESSING:
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients except for the olive oil and whisk to combine. Slowly stream in the olive oil, whisking to combine. Set aside.
  2. Place kale in a large bowl and add a few tablespoons of the dressing. Massage the kale for a couple minutes until it starts to break down and soften. Set aside while you make the grilled cheese croutons.
  3. Preheat nonstick skillet to medium heat. Spread one side of each slice of bread with the butter. Place two slices butter side down in the skillet. Top with cheddar and brie, and place other bread slices on top.
  4. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. Let sandwiches cool for a few minutes, then slice into "croutons". Add chopped apple and bacon to the kale and toss. Portion onto plates, top with the grilled cheese croutons, and extra dressing!

 

Related Posts:

  • Fall Orzo Salad
    Fall Orzo Salad
  • Chicken Provencal Skillet
    Chicken Provencal Skillet
  • Favorite Kale Salad
    Favorite Kale Salad

Filed Under: Main Course Recipes, Salad Tagged With: 30 minute, comfort food, easy, fall, grilled cheese, healthy, kale, salad

Previous Post: « Whole Wheat Pumpkin Nutella Crumb Muffins
Next Post: Caramel Apple Overnight Oats (with Date Caramel!) »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome! I'm so happy you're here. This is the space where I share healthy recipes with a sprinkle of indulgence mixed in! I’m wildly passionate about food, and I grew up in a family of foodies. I was surrounded by it from an early age and immediately fell in love. I love to share super flavorful, unique, and healthy recipes, as well as indulgent, comforting meals we all need from time to time!

Order my cookbook!

Shot of eat more plants cookbook cover with colorful vegetable dishes

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound
Books-a-Million
Book Depository

Subscribe to receive new posts by email!

Get the latest Spices in My DNA posts in your inbox!

Most Popular Recipes

Overhead shot of a bowl of curry on a turquoise plate
Overhead shot of a bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, roasted broccoli, sliced avocado, a lemon wedge, and tahini sauce with a black and silver fork next to the bowl
Forward facing shot of an iced latte with two other lattes behind it, all topped with bright pink rose petals and lavender sprigs, with more lavender and rosebuds scattered around
Quinoa Bowls with Sesame Tofu, Avocado, and Pistachios
Overhead shot of a pan of enchiladas topped with sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, lime wedges, cilantro, and sour cream
Shot of a stack of 5 slices of chocolate chip banana bread

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Warm Artichoke Bruschetta
  • Favorite Kale Salad
  • Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake
  • Burrata Toast with Caramelized Peaches
  • Lemon Artichoke Hummus

Footer

 

 

Spices in My DNA © 2020 · Privacy Policy
 

Loading Comments...