Kalejunkie

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From “gluten free and cheesy” to “something cozy with cinnamon” this search gets you. It’s smart enough to find exactly what you’re craving.

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the Vibes even fuRther!

Just what your summer menu needs

A platter of glazed chicken skewers garnished with sesame seeds and chopped herbs. A bowl of white sesame seeds with a small wooden scoop sits nearby, along with a side dish containing more chopped herbs. The skewers are served on a white oval plate.

Dinner

What’s your flavor?

Sweet, savory, snacky or stacked—whatever you’re feelin’, there’s a recipe waiting.

Choose Your Vibe

Hey, I’m Nicole! Founder of kale junkie

Where bold flavor
meets
uncomplicated
cooking

Nicole Modic with long brown hair, wearing a patterned blouse and gold jewelry, sits at a kitchen counter holding a mug. She is looking at the camera and smiling softly, with pastries visible in the foreground.

about
nicole

Your go-to girl for bold, nourishing eats that actually taste good.  
Kale Junkie started as a personal journey and grew into a full-on love for creating food that fuels and empowers. Around here, I keep it real: eat foods that make you feel good – and that includes the damn cookie! If you’re into no-fuss meals that hit hard on flavor and confidence, you’re in the right place.

The Scoop about me

My ride or die recipe

A wooden bowl filled with a salad containing cucumbers, avocado, edamame, and pieces of salmon. The ingredients are mixed with what appears to be sun-dried tomatoes. A serving spoon with a woven handle rests in the bowl. In the background, there are two forks on a pink napkin.

Crispy Rice Salmon Cucumber Salad with Creamy Asian Dressing

STEP 1

prepare crispy rice topping
STEP 2

season and bake salmon
STEP 3

mix dressing
STEP 4

chop and toss ingredients
STEP 5

voila!

Party of one

single
serving

A bowl of yogurt topped with raspberry jam and cookie crumbs on a pink surface, surrounded by fresh raspberries, a plate of Biscoff cookies, a spoon with jam, and an open jar of raspberry preserves.

Desserts

Viral Japanese Cheesecake (Raspberry)

Oats & Granola

Single-Serving Carrot Cake Baked Oats

Cakes

The Best Easy Flourless Chocolate Cakes

Single Serving

Single Serving Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll

mine, all mine

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Your next kitchen crush

hot right now

Sheet Pan Warm Kale Salad

If a warm and cozy salad is calling your name, then look no further than my Sheet Pan Warm Kale Salad. This vibrant salad is packed full of tender toasted veggies, mild Italian sausage, tangy feta cheese, and crunchy pistachios, all topped off with a creamy maple dijon dressing for the perfect salad in every bite. The sheet pan makes it quick and easy to assemble, plus, it makes it easy for serving a crowd. Whether you make this for your next gathering or for a simple family dinner, you can't go wrong with this salad!

Get in my belly

What’s cooking on the ‘gram

watch it, crave it @kalejunkie

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@kalejunkie Just remember, if it was easy everyone would be doing it—you are a baddie and baddies don’t do things the easy way 💪🏼

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Girl math, my ladies!!!!!!! #funnyvideos #entrepreneur

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Follow me @kalejunkie and I will DM you the recipe to my viral middle eastern sheet pan kebab! This recipe is a winner! 🥇

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CHICKEN MINI WONTON CRUNCH SALAD, from your fav duo @kalejunkie & @erinnobrienn 🎊 You can get everything to make this salad from Trader Joe’s and make it quickly anytime the craving hits. Be sure to SAVE this post, SHARE with friends, and FOLLOW us both for more easy, delicious recipes like this 🫶🏻

Makes 4 servings
For the Dressing:
2 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tb white miso paste
2 tb low sodium soy sauce
2 tb rice vinegar
1 tb sesame oil
2 tb avocado oil
2 tb lime juice
1 tb toasted sesame seeds

For the Salad:
8 oz Tuscan Kale, ribs removed and greens thinly sliced
4 cups shredded green cabbage
½ cup julienned carrots
½ cup edamame
½ cup sliced snap peas, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ English cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tb avocado oil
12 oz mini wontons (chicken & cilantro wontons from Trader Joes)
⅓ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
⅓ cup Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 tb toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside until ready to use. You can make this in advance and store in the fridge until ready to eat. To make the salad, add the kale to a mixing bowl and add 3 tablespoons of dressing. Massage the kale until its shiny and dark green. Add the cabbage, carrots, edamame, snap peas, bell pepper, red onion, and cucumber to the mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the wontons and cook, flipping occasionally until they’re crispy and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the wontons to the mixing bowl. Add the remaining dressing and toss to combine everything evenly. Top with mint, Thai basil, and sesame seeds.

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The number one question I get every week is where my necklaces are from. Answer: @foundrae ✨ Truth is, I’d rather own a few quality pieces I love and wear everyday than a closet full of things I don’t. So when I saw a Foundrae store in Aspen, I couldn’t resist popping in. And just like that, I blacked out and added one more piece to the collection 🤭. Girl math.

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@kalejunkie✨MISO LIME CUCUMBER SALAD, the salad you will not be able to top eating I’m telling you right now! It’s refreshing and the perfect side dish or veggie packed lunch, you get to decide! ⁣For more protein, add some shredded rotisserie chicken or grilled salmon and you are set 🤌🏼
⁣
SAVE this post, SHARE it with friends and FOLLOW me @kalejunkie for easy, delicious recipes!⁣
⁣
Salad:⁣
4-5 persian cucumbers, thinly sliced⁣
2 large shallots, thinly sliced⁣
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped ⁣
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped ⁣
⁣
Dressing:⁣
2 tb toasted sesame oil⁣
1 tb avocado oil⁣
2 limes, juiced⁣
1 tb freshly grated ginger⁣
1-2 tb maple syrup (depends on sweetness preference)⁣
3 tb white miso paste⁣
Garnish: crushed red pepper flakes⁣
⁣
Slice cucumbers and shallots and add to a large bowl, along with chopped cilantro and peanuts. Next, make the dressing. Whisk dressing ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat well. Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes and enjoy immediately. ⁣
#cucumbersalad #summersalads

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72 Hours in…Aspen at @hoteljeromeauberge 🤌🏼
⁣
For my first trip to Aspen, I wanted to stay somewhere that felt iconic, and @auberge’s Hotel Jerome delivered. Think cozy luxury, incredible food and cocktails, next-level hospitality, and a location that puts you steps from everything worth doing. ⁣
⁣
Be sure to SAVE this post for your next Aspen trip!⁣
⁣
Aspen highlights:⁣
• Dinner at Prospect at Hotel Jerome⁣
• Coffee at Felix at Hotel Jerome and + matcha @santambroeus⁣
• Designing a custom hat at @kemosabe1990⁣
• Après Tea at Hotel Jerome⁣
• A 90-minute hot stone massage at Yarrow Spa at Hotel Jerome⁣
• Dinner at @casatuaaspen⁣
• Dinner at @matsuhisaaspen

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So…should I change my name from Kale Junkie to Steak Junkie?!? 😜

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@kalejunkie STREET CORN BEEF POWER BOWLS, because it’s time to elevate those cottage cheese beef bowls that went viral last year :) This bowl is giving taco vibes thanks to the taco-seasoned beef, and it’s paired with roasted sweet potatoes for those good carbs and topped with my smoky street corn salad. Yes this is a need, not a want!⁣
⁣
FOLLOW me @kalejunkie for more easy, healthy recipes and be sure to SAVE this post!⁣
⁣
Makes 4 servings⁣
1 lb lean ground beef⁣
2 tb taco seasoning⁣
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed⁣
1 tsp olive oil⁣
1 tsp smoked paprika⁣
1 tsp kosher salt⁣
1 avocado, diced⁣
⁣
Corn Salad ⁣
3 cups frozen corn⁣
1 red bell pepper, finely diced⁣
1/2 red onion, finely diced⁣
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely diced⁣
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped⁣
⁣
Smoky Street Corn Dressing⁣
1 cup fat free greek yogurt ⁣
1/2 cup cottage cheese⁣
1 lime, juiced⁣
2 cloves garlic⁣
1 tsp onion powder ⁣
1/2 tsp chili powder⁣
1/2 tsp smoked paprika⁣
1/2 tsp black pepper⁣
1/2 tsp salt⁣
Water to thin, if needed⁣
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Preheat oven to 400F. Add sweet potatoes to a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, paprika and salt. Bake for 20 minutes, then toss, then bake again for 10-15 minutes more until golden and crunchy. Remove tray from oven and set aside. Now make the beef. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray (or lightly oil the pan). Once hot, add the ground beef and taco seasoning, breaking it up with a meat masher into tiny pieces until cooked through. If it’s dry, add 2-3 tb water. Set aside. For the corn salad, add the salad ingredients to a large bowl, then make your dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well. Last, assemble your bowls—divide the sweet potatoes, ground beef, avocado, and corn salad between bowls and drizzle with remaining dressing on top. Enjoy! #streetcorn #viralrecipes #tacosalad #powerbowls

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@kalejunkie ONE PAN MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN & LEMONY RICE—yes. You need this in your life, immediately! This show-stopping dinner is made in one pan and has big, bold flavors that everyone will love. And I bet you can get it on the table in T-30 🤌🏼!⁣
⁣
SAVE this post, SHARE with friends, and FOLLOW me @kalejunkie for more easy, delicious meals like this!⁣
⁣
Comment LINK for everything I used in this video!⁣
⁣
Makes 4 to 6 servings ⁣
CHICKEN—⁣
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs⁣
2 tb olive oil⁣
5 cloves garlic, mashed⁣
1 tsp coriander⁣
2 tsp turmeric⁣
1 tsp cumin⁣
2 tsp smoked paprika⁣
1/2 tsp allspice⁣
1 tsp kosher salt & 1 tsp ground black pepper ⁣
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt ⁣
⁣
LEMON RICE⁣
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed well⁣
2 tsp olive oil⁣
1 small onion, finely diced⁣
2 1/2 cups chicken broth⁣
2 lemons, juiced
2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika⁣
⁣
SALAD⁣
2 persian cucumbers, sliced⁣
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced⁣
1 cup baby tomatoes, halved⁣
2 tsp sumac⁣
2 tsp red wine vinegar ⁣
1 tb olive oil ⁣
1/2 tsp kosher salt⁣
⁣
1 cup tzatziki (store bought or homemade—my recipe is on my website)⁣
⁣
In a bowl, add the chicken. Toss with the olive oil, spices, and yogurt. Mix well and set aside. Next, heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken. You may need to work in batches. Cook for 7 to 8 mins per side until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the oil to the same pan and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, then add in the garlic & spices, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the rice, broth and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove cover and fluff the rice. Mix the salad ingredients in one bowl. Cut the chicken then add it on top of the rice along with the salad and tzatziki (if using). Serve and enjoy!⁣
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I’m not just a recipe content machine, you know!! My first trip to Aspen proved I can serve up both salads and looks 😏😜. comment LINKS for outfit deets 🤠

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@kalejunkie 🍪 HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER OAT SNACKING COOKIES—you won’t believe something so tasty is only 6 simple ingredients. One bowl. No fuss. Crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle. I love keeping these on the kitchen counter to enjoy all week (though between the kids and I, the entire batch is gone in a day). You can swap the PB for nut butter of choice or use sunflower seed butter to keep it nut-free. Add in your favorite mix-ins to customize this recipe and make it your own!

SAVE this post, SHARE with friends, and FOLLOW me @kalejunkie for more easy, delicious recipes that everyone will love!

Makes 12 cookies
2 large eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter (using @onetrickponynuts
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cups quick cook rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and peanut butter until completely smooth. Add in the oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and chocolate chips. The batter will be sticky and that is ok! Line a baking tray with parchment paper and use a cookie scoop to make 12 cookies. Bake for 9-11 minutes. I recommend 9 for a softer cookie, and 11 for a crunchier cookie. Remove from the oven and ENJOY! Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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