Kalejunkie

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Hey, I’m Nicole! Founder of kale junkie

Where bold flavor
meets
uncomplicated
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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!

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Oats & Granola

Single-Serving Carrot Cake Baked Oats

Cakes

The Best Easy Flourless Chocolate Cakes

Single Serving

Single Serving Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll

Single Serving

Single Serving Strawberry Cinnamon Roll

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Your next kitchen crush

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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 Comment LINKS and I will DM you now 🫶🏻 I’m starting a weekly series where I share things I buy, love, and am confident you’ll love too. Oftentimes I buy things and they are total garbage and I send them back—what I keep is what I use and 12/10 recommend. And PSA—they make great holiday gifts too!

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@kalejunkie GF PUMPKIN STREUSEL LOAF 🎃🍞 she is beauty, she is grace, and YES—you need to cancel your plans and stay home to make this! If needed, you can sub oat flour for the gf all/purpose flour, it won’t be as fluffy but it will taste the same (I tried!) 😃

Makes 12 servings
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted & cooled
2 eggs, room temp
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup gf all-purpose flour (@bobsredmill gf 1:1 baking flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tb pumpkin pie spice

Topping
3/4 cup gf all-purpose flour (@bobsredmill gf 1:1 baking flour)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 tb pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup coconut sugar

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp pumpkin spice
3 tb water

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla and eggs, until smooth. In another large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Pour wet into dry and gently mix until you don’t see any clumps of flour. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and ensure it is even. Next, make the streusel. Add streusel ingredients to a small bowl and use your hands to mix—this should be clumpy. If it’s too dry, add a touch more coconut oil. Spread streusel evenly over the loaf. Bake for 50-52 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. To make the glaze, whisk together the glaze ingredients until completely smooth. Once the loaf has cooled completely, pour the drizzle on top. Cut into 12 slices and enjoy!

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@kalejunkie GF PUMPKIN STREUSEL LOAF 🎃🍞 she is beauty, she is grace, and YES—you need to cancel your plans and stay home to make this! FOLLOW @kalejunkie for the recipe!

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@kalejunkie 🍵🥥 Don’t knock it until you try it, but this is now my fav iced matcha combo. You need pebble ice (essential), @harmlessharvest coconut water (also essential) and matcha. mix it up and enjoy! 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐀 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐌 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬!🙂 #matcha

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@kalejunkie🕷️SPOOKY BROWNIES made with @hukitchen salty dark chocolate made with organic, Fair trade, and 4 simple ingredients 🖤 I use Hu chocolate for pretty much everything and I hope you do too! Make these brownies and make webs with melted marshmallows for a spooky twist! #HuKitchen #HuPartner⁣
⁣
Ingredients⁣
2 @hukitchen salty chocolate bars, roughly chopped⁣
2 eggs⁣
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled⁣
1/4 cup maple syrup⁣
1 tsp vanilla extract⁣
3/4 cups almond flour⁣
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder⁣
1/2 tsp baking soda⁣
⁣
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or oil. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. In another bowl, mix together almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined. Chop the chocolate bars and add to the batter. Transfer the batter to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. Add marshmallows to a microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 2-3, 30-second increments until melted and tacky. Take 1 tb in between your fingers and spread into a web. Stick it on top of the brownies. Repeat until you are happy with your web! Carefully cut into slices and enjoy!

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@kalejunkie 20-MINUTE BUTTER CHICKEN WITH GARLIC NAAN, requested by the KJ community! 😊 It’s mild, creamy and saucy—perfect served over rice or scooped up with the naan. Butter chicken is a popular Indian dish dating back to the 50s. I am not claiming my version is traditional, but I did do my best to stay close to its roots. ⁣
⁣
Makes 4 servings ⁣
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes⁣
1 tsp nutmeg⁣
1 tsp turmeric⁣
1 tsp ground cumin⁣
1 tsp chili powder ⁣
2 tsp garam masala⁣
1/2 teaspoon salt⁣
2 tb butter, salted ⁣
3 garlic cloves, mashed⁣
1 cup coconut milk (from the can)⁣
6 tb tomato paste⁣
1 tb ketchup — NOT traditional, optional ⁣
⁣
For the naan⁣
4 pieces store-bought naan⁣
2 tb olive oil⁣
2 cloves garlic, mashed⁣
Chopped parsley to garnish⁣
⁣
In a large bowl, add the chicken pieces. Add the spices and toss to coat well. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken in a single layer. Do not touch for about four minutes, and then gently flip to the other side and allow to cook four minutes more (chicken should almost be cooked through at this point). Add in the garlic, tomato paste, ketchup (if using) and the coconut milk. Mix everything very well. Lower heat and bring to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for five more minutes. Remove pan from the heat. While you are making the butter chicken, you can make the naan. Preheat oven to 375. Line up the naan on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and mashed garlic and a pinch of salt. Bake for six minutes and a removed from oven. Serve over rice and with your naan. Enjoy!

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@kalejunkie I’m working in my kitchen most of the time, but I still love feeling put together, comfy and cute and when I go out—without breaking the bank. Comment COZY or LINKS and I will DM you so you can snag these more affordable pieces for fall!

And as always, thanks for supporting these non-recipe posts. I need to change things up—if not for you, then for me, so I stay excited to create!

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FARMHOUSE RANCH CHICKEN CRUST PIZZA, made with the Fresh Express Farmhouse Ranch Chopped Salad Kit! #ad Fresh Express makes it easy to express yourself by taking any of their delicious salad blends and putting your own creative spin on them to make something you are excited to eat. In this case, I took the viral chicken crust pizza trend and used it as the perfect high-protein base for the @yourfreshexpresssalad Farmhouse Chopped Salad. I also added homemade pickled onions to make it extra special and tangy! It is so good!⁣
⁣
I can’t wait for you to make this recipe or pick up any one of the Fresh Express salad kits and Express Yourself by getting creative in the kitchen. The full recipe is below and on FreshExpress.com. #FreshExpress #ExpressYourself⁣
⁣
Makes 1 pizza⁣
Pizza Crust⁣
1 lbs. ground chicken⁣
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese⁣
1 egg⁣
1/4 cup barbecue sauce⁣
1 tb Italian seasoning⁣
1/2 tsp garlic powder ⁣
1/2 tsp kosher salt ⁣
1/2 tsp ground black pepper⁣
⁣
Topping⁣
1 bag Fresh Express Farmhouse Ranch Chopped Salad Kit⁣
1/4 cup pickled red onions⁣
⁣
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a quarter sheet baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a food processor, add all of the ingredients for the chicken crust, and process until smooth. Using a spatula, spread the chicken mixture into an even, thin layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 26 minutes until the edges get brown and crispy. Remove the crust from oven and let cool to harden. Next, add the Fresh Express Farmhouse Ranch Chopped Salad Kit to a large bowl. Toss with dressing, then add the salad mixture on top of the chicken crust. Garnish with pickled onions, slice, and enjoy immediately!

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