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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Your Thanksgiving, made easy and delish

A large baking dish filled with golden-brown stuffing, garnished with herbs and cranberries, sits on a marble table surrounded by plates, silverware, a brown napkin, and sprigs of fresh parsley.

Side Dishes

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

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

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

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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FOLLOW @kalejunkie FOR ALL THE SIDE DISH RECIPES

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@kalejunkie THE ULTIMATE CORNBREAD SAUSAGE STUFFING! Remember, I’m your gal for the best thanksgiving side dishes around and this is my best one yet!! The sweetness from the cornbread and cranberries is offset by the savory sausage and it’s filled with lots of veggies and all the traditional seasonings and fresh herbs—and you can make this in advance and reheat when ready to serve! As an added bonus, it looks beautiful and makes a great presentation! I can’t wait for you to try it!

I have full instructions and a recipe card you can download, so comment STUFFING and I will DM it to you now, along with link to my casserole dish!

#thanksgiving2025 #thanksgivingrecipes #stuffingrecipe

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What if I told you there was a service that could both grocery shop AND meal plan for you? I recently discovered @hungryroot and have never looked back. Hungryroot is an AMAZING service that helps me stay on top of my health goals (high protein girlie here!) and feed myself and my family. All I do is share my goals and dietary preferences, and Hungryroot
provides me with sample menus/recipes and corresponding groceries to make it all. All of their food is free from high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and preservatives, and they source top-quality meat + seafood free of hormones and antibiotics, which is really important to me. The best part is that Hungryroot gets to know you better each week – it’s
like having a personal shopper. The more Hungryroot learns about what you like, the better your personal shopper gets at filling your box each week (and you can still make any changes you want). It’s so fun! This week I am making turkey meatballs and spaghetti, which came together in 15 minutes, and exceeded my expectations for a healthy and nutritious dinner that my boys loved too! If you’re busy but still want to eat well, this service is such a game changer. Take the quick quiz, get your grocery plan, and let them do the work. Use my code KALEJUNKIE40 for 40% off your first order. #HungryrootPartner

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🎁 The 7th annual KJ holiday gift guides are LIVE and they are a fun labor of love!🎄I am launching early this year bc I want to get it all done early and relax in December. I am not a procrastinator and if you are reading this, neither are you 😏! There are 7 guides: foodie, wellness junkie, for him, beauty guru, home, and kids! Comment GIFTS and I will DM every thing you need for a stress free holiday! Enjoy!

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Entering this next trip around the sun with gratitude for all that was, is, and will be 🎂♥️ Thank you for all of your love and continued support of me and my recipes. xo, KJ

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@kalejunkie GARLIC & HERBS POTATO STACKS! ⁣Comment RECIPE and I will DM it to you NOW!!! 🙂 I am officially ready for Thanksgiving and I’m starting strong with my favorite food category—carbs—in the form of crunchy potato stacks that might just change the way you eat potatoes forever 😙 This recipe is the perfect side dish and EASY to make, and they look fancy! You can also do all the prep work in advance and bake closer to when you are ready to serve. Easy peasy. #thanksgivingrecipes

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As a content creator, recipe developer, entrepreneur, and mom, my days are nonstop. Between school drop-offs, deadlines, and recipe testing, I’m always looking for ways to make life a little easier. Enter Copilot on Windows 11, my ultimate multitasking partner. It’s not just a computer; it’s one I can actually talk to. With a simple “Hey Copilot,” I can get reminders for meetings, organize my day, brainstorm recipe ideas, or even get a little help in the kitchen when my brain’s running on empty. It’s like having a built-in assistant who never needs a coffee break. ☕️ If you’re shopping for someone who could use a little extra organization, creativity, and calm this season, try Copilot on Windows 11 today. 💻✨ @windows #WindowsPartner

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@kalejunkie 🥣 COZY MINI MEATBALL ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP! The OG Italian wedding soup recipe from my blog got a little upgrade this season and now that cozy season is upon us, it’s time for you to make it. This soup is a hug in a bowl—comforting, nutritious, and it freezes well too! ⁣
⁣
SHARE this post with friends, SAVE, and FOLLOW for more!⁣
⁣
Makes 8 servings ⁣
Mini Meatballs⁣
1 lb ground beef (90/10)⁣
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage (casings removed)⁣
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs ⁣
2 eggs⁣
3/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, finely grated⁣
1/3 cup italian parsley, finely chopped⁣
2 tsp garlic powder⁣
1 tsp kosher salt⁣
1 tsp ground black pepper⁣
⁣
Soup⁣
2 tb olive oil ⁣
1 small yellow onion, finely diced⁣
3 celery stalks, finely chopped⁣
3 carrots, finely chopped ⁣
5 cloves garlic, mashed⁣
3/4 cup mini pasta of choice (stelline, orzo, etc.)⁣
1/3 cup white wine (optional)⁣
6 1/2 cups chicken broth⁣
1 lemon, juiced (1/4 cup) ⁣
3 cups fresh spinach⁣
2 bay leaves⁣
⁣
Garnish: more grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and additional lemon juice if desired! ⁣
⁣
First, make your mini meatballs. Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix to incorporate everything well. Form mini meatballs (~1 tsp of meat mixture) and line them up on a plate.⁣
You will get 40-50! Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, then remove from heat (not fully cooked through is ok!). Next, in a large soup pot, add the olive oil, and once hot, add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for about 6-7 minutes and then add in the pasta. Mix for 1-2 minutes to toast the pasta, then pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up the goodness from the bottom of the pan. Add the broth and lemon juice, and the meatballs to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, add the spinach and allow to cook for 15 minutes so the flavors soak in and the spinach wilts. Divide between bowls and serve with extra cheese & lemon juice on top. ENJOY!⁣

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75+ nourishing recipes that are easy to follow and impossible not to love. From weeknight go-tos to “damn, I made that?” moments, this book brings the flavor—minus the fuss.

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