A few years ago, a mysteriously delicious, healthy, sweet salad started appearing at every single party I attended. This sweet kale salad was loaded with a sturdy blend of winter vegetables, including kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli slaw, and was adorned with jewels of dried cranberries and pepitas for crunch. It was a salad I couldn’t escape from. After it made four or five consecutive appearances at social gatherings, I realized this wasn’t a trendy viral recipe I missed on social media; it was, in fact, a sweet kale salad kit from the grocery store.

Actually, it was several very similar salad kits—all made with kale, cranberries, and a tangy and sweet creamy poppy seed dressing. From Costco to Trader Joe’s and pretty much every grocery store in between, each has their own version.

While delicious, the salad itself isn’t overly complex, which is why I implore you to skip the kit the next time you’re craving this sweet kale vegetable salad and to try this copycat recipe instead. It’s jam-packed with the same ingredients, but at a fraction of the cost. (Does anyone else feel as if those salad kits are getting smaller and smaller?)

Ingredients for Copycat Sweet Kale Salad

• Kale: There are many varieties of kale. For the best taste and texture, choose Tuscan or Lacinato for this kale recipe.
• Broccoli slaw: While you are welcome to shave or shred broccoli stems yourself, a package of broccoli slaw is a fantastic shortcut. Use any extra to make a delicious Asian ramen coleslaw.
• Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are another sturdy vegetable that stays crisp for a long time, even after being coated in dressing.
• Green cabbage: Green cabbage adds another layer of crunch and texture to this healthy salad recipe.
• Radicchio: Radicchio doesn’t taste that much different from kale or cabbage, but its vibrant purple-red hue offers a beautiful contrast from the other green vegetables in the recipe.
• Dried cranberries: A few handfuls of dried cranberries add little bursts of sweetness to every bite.
• Toasted pepitas: Often packaged and labeled as pumpkin seeds, pepitas add a nice, subtle nuttiness to this sweet kale salad along with a wonderful crunch.
• Creamy poppy seed dressing: This sweet and tangy homemade dressing beats the ones that come sealed in pouches with the kits. It’s made with mayonnaise and sour cream for a creamy tang, sweetened with sugar, and mixed with milk, apple cider vinegar and plenty of poppy seeds.

Taste of Home

America has many food and cooking competition shows, but none are as sweet and accented as The Great British Baking Show (or Bake Off for the Brits). From the early episodes with British treasure Mary Berry as a judge to Prue Leith joining Paul Hollywood, and Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond adding comic relief, the show keeps evolving in exciting ways. We’ve learned to make classic British desserts like a proper Victorian sponge and can now identify Northern and Southern English accents.

But honestly, we’re really here for the bakes. There have been some wildly incomprehensible technical challenges from Paul’s sinister mind (who can forget flaounes and dampfnudel?), but some are easy enough to make at home. These copycat recipes are inspired by the show, including one-offs from our favorite challenges and top bakers. No UK-to-American conversions necessary!

Taste of Home