FoodRef · Recipe
Kale Salad with Apple, Cheddar and Almonds
4 approve · 4 caution · 3 avoid
Standard deviation of the 11 scores. Higher = the diets disagree more.
The verdicts
Disapprove (3)
- Vegan3.0
- Carnivore1.5
- Whole303.5
Caution (4)
- DASH6.8
- Paleo6.0
- Keto4.5
- Low-FODMAP4.2
Approve (4)
- Mediterranean8.5
- Zone7.2
- Anti-Inflammatory8.2
- GLP-17.5
Ingredients
- 4 cups very finely chopped or slivered curly kale or Russian kale (about 6 ounces on the stem, or half of a ¾-pound bunch, stemmed and washed in two rinses of water)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted almonds
- 1 apple, sweet, like a Fuji, or a sweet-tart, like a Gala, Braeburn or Pink Lady, cored and cut in ¼-inch dice
- 1 ounce sharp Cheddar cheese, cut in ¼-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 1 very small garlic clove, puréed
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Combine the kale, almonds, apple and Cheddar in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, salt, garlic and olive oil. Add to the salad, and toss well. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top, and serve.
Diet-by-diet
Kale, apple, almonds and olive oil are DASH-friendly, but the cheddar and Parmesan add saturated fat and sodium, lowering the score slightly.
Excellent fit: leafy greens, fruit, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and modest amounts of cheese all align with Mediterranean principles.
Contains cheddar and Parmesan cheese, both animal products, making it not vegan despite the plant-forward base.
Almost entirely plant-based with only a small amount of cheese — incompatible with a carnivore diet.
Kale, apple, almonds, garlic, lemon, and olive oil are paleo, but the cheddar and Parmesan are dairy and disallowed.
Healthy fats from olive oil, almonds and cheese help, but the apple adds significant carbs and kale volume is substantial, limiting keto suitability.
Apple and garlic are high-FODMAP triggers; even a small garlic clove can be problematic, lowering the score.
Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses are not Whole30-compliant, disqualifying the recipe despite otherwise clean ingredients.
Reasonable balance of carbs (apple, kale), protein (cheese), and fats (olive oil, almonds), close to Zone macronutrient ratios.
Kale, olive oil, almonds, apple, lemon and garlic are all strongly anti-inflammatory; only modest dairy slightly tempers the score.
High fiber from kale and apple, healthy fats, and protein from cheese and nuts promote satiety, supporting GLP-1 goals; portion of olive oil is calorie-dense.