If your kids are as picky as mine, you know how tough it can be to keep meals both healthy and family-approved. I’m always on the lookout for nutritious recipes that I can tweak to fit our active lifestyle — and still get a thumbs up at the dinner table. These two were a hit, so I’m excited to share them with you!

Homemade air fried chicken nuggets with kale crunch salad. 

For ultimate flavor let the chicken tenders, sliced chicken breasts, or thighs marinate in pickle or artichoke juice overnight, or at least an hour. It will make it much more tender. 

I started by massaging the kale with 1 tbsp oil, then I made the dressing and started the chicken nuggets while the kale was softening.

Homemade Kale Crunch Salad:
This kale crunch salad with toasted almonds, feta, and crisp apples is a hit, even for the biggest kale skeptics. It’s my go-to homemade version of the popular Chick-fil-A kale salad — only fresher, more flavorful, and packed with wholesome goodness.

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time 5 min 
Total Time: 25 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

​Dijon apple cider vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoon maple syrup (I used 2
• 1 ½ tablespoon dijon mustard (used whole grain)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

 
Kale salad:

• 6 cups curly kale thinly sliced -about 1 large bunch. 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced (about ½ of a medium head of cabbage) I doubled this as well 4 cups
• 1 cup almonds, I used 1/2 cups
• ½ teaspoon salt

Optional:

• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 apples, diced

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add kale and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands to massage the oil into the kale. Continue until kale is soft and tender (about 3-4 minutes). Add cabbage to the bowl and set aside.
• Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a small pan over medium heat. Once hot, add almonds and salt. Toast the almonds, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes. Once almonds are cool, use a sharp knife to chop them up into small pieces. 
• Top kale and cabbage with almonds, feta cheese and diced apples (if using).
• Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar or container with a lid. Close the lid and shake to combine. Adjust spices to meet desired taste preferences!
• Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Notes
For an easier option: green cabbage can be replaced with an equal amount of coleslaw mix or kale-slaw mix!
I doubled the amount of kale and cabbage and did not use more dressing. Adjust to suit your taste.
nourishedbynic.com/homemade-kale-crunch-salad-chick-fil-a/

Homemade Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Kochlin

Equipment

• air fryer

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces (I used tenders)
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (I used trader joes brand)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (I used gluten free)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• olive oil cooking spray (I used a mister with avocado oil)
  
  

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the panko, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Set aside.
• Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip a piece of chicken in the egg mixture until coated. Use a fork to transfer to the breadcrumb mixture and toss until coated, pressing to adhere. For thicker breading, dip the piece of chicken back into the egg mixture, then toss again in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Spray the air fryer tray with olive oil, and as you bread each piece of chicken, place into the air fryer. Don't overcrowd the air fryer or overlap the chicken pieces. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you'll likely need to cook the chicken in two batches. Once the air fryer is full, spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil.
• Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, or until fully cooked through. Flip the chicken halfway through the cook time.

​
https://www.modernfarmhouseeats.com/homemade-air-fryer-chicken-nuggets/#recipe

It's salad season! 

Salad Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped kale
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup cheese optional (cheddar or feta work great here!)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots 
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp of pumking seeds/or sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup cranberries
  ​
  

Lemon Dressing Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp honey 

Instructions:

1. First make your dressing by combining ingredients in a lidded mason jar. Shake well to emulsify. Adjust sweetener, salt, and pepper to taste- you can make this dressing as sweet or tart as your heart desires!
2. Next massage your chopped kale with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Rub with your fingers until leaves begin to darken and tenderize. This makes it taste great and gives the kale a silky texture!
3. In a large bowl, combine massaged kale, broccoli, almonds, cheese, carrots, onion, sunflower seeds, and cranberries. Shake your dressing once more and pour about 1/3 of the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat and add extra dressing, to taste.
   
   

Recipe Notes
I like to add poppy seeds to my salad dressing to give it a lemon poppyseed vibe - feel free to follow suit!

From: © SpendWithPennies.com

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 5 min
Total Time: 10 min

Pickled red onions add a sweet & tangy pop of flavor to salads, sandwiches, burgers, and more! Once you make them, they'll keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Equipment

• 10-oz. Mason Jars
• Mandoline (makes it super easy to make thin slices!)
• Medium Pot

Ingredients

• 2 small red onions
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• ⅓ cup cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons sea salt

Optional

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon mixed peppercorn
  
  

Instructions

• Thinly slice the onions using a mandoline, if you have one, and divide the onions between 2 (16-ounce) jars or 3 (10-ounce) jars. Spread the garlic and peppercorns among the jars, if using.
• Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool and pour over the onions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge.
• Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

From:
Pickled Red Onions - Love and Lemons
https://search.app/dVD6acyg3u6jHNjJ8

Serves 6-8
A scrumptious, fiber-filled snack to look forward to every single afternoon.

Ingredients:

Toast-
4 small sweet potatoes
Olive oil
1/4 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp pepper

Bean spread-
15-oz can white beans, rinsed
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tahini
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Salsa-
1/2 English cucumber, diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:

Make the toast-
Heat oven to 415°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Brush each side with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange on sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Flip and roast until just starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. 

Make the bean spread-
Combine puree white beans, rosemary leaves, garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Make the salsa- 
​In a bowl, toss cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, flat-leaf parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Assemble-
Top potato slices with bean spread then salsa (1-2 tbsp each).

You're welcome! 

This is how I’ve been getting most of my veggies in: warm. This is my favorite recipe so far!
​
In cooler weather, kale is plentiful and at its sweetest, which makes it a great time for a hearty salad loaded with veggies and other good stuff.
​
Serves 1 

Salad ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups kale, thinly sliced into ribbons 
1/2 fennel bulb, cored and cut into thin strips
2 carrots, cut into 1/4” slices
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
Orange Rosemary Dressing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil. Toss the fennel, carrot slices, and diced onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt + pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20–25 minutes, or until tender.
2. Add kale ribbons to a separate pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place in the oven for 5-6 minutes.

3. While veggies are roasting, combine ingredients for the dressing in a jar or small bowl and shake or whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to serve.

4. Removing both pans from the oven, add the kale ribbons and other vegetables into a bowl.
5. Pour the dressing over the top and serve immediately.