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Continuing my “I love salads but hate making them at home” theme, here’s a salad I pine for: Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad.
Now, for the most part (like 90% of the time) I bring lunch to work everyday.
On days when I forget to bring lunch and need to go to Trader Joe’s to pick up groceries anyway, this is my go to selection.
Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, as well as edamame. Cranberries are thrown in for a little sweetness, almonds for additional protein and crunch, tomatoes because duh, they’re yummy, and the tangy lemon dressing balances everything out.
The Trader Joe’s salad is great, BUT okay, #1 it costs $4. #2 there’s too much dressing, which, no surprise, is loaded with calories. Ain’tnobodygottimeforthat. Make your own at home for a fraction of the price and calories.
If you’re just starting to build up your pantry, you may need to buy quite a few of these ingredients, which of course is going to add up to way more than $4. Here’s the great part: nearly ALL of the ingredients are shelf-stable, so once you have everything, all you’ll need to buy if you want to make this salad again in a few weeks is some fresh kale and a tomato!
Oh, and P.S.! This salad, including dressing is only about 300 calories!!
Excellent recipe to recreate Trader Joe's Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad at home for a fraction of the cost and calories.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp mayo
- 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 pinch each dried parsley, thyme, oregano, and basil OR 2 pinches Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups finely chopped kale
- 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds
- 1/2 tbsp dried cranberries
- 1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
Add all the dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together.
Add all the salad ingredients to the same bowl and toss until kale is coated with the dressing. Eat immediately.