Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the sweet potato into bite-sized chunks, spread over a large baking sheet, then drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Use your hands to toss everything together until the sweet potato cubes are coated in oil and seasoning. Be sure to spread out the chunks into an even layer so that they bake evenly.

Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and use a spatula to give them a good stir and shake. Roast for an additional 5 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside. Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a plate and refrigerate until chilled. While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the rest of the recipe.

Thoroughly rinse the head of kale under lukewarm water. Use a knife to separate the leaves from the tough stems and discard the stems. Finely chop the kale leaves on a large cutting board and transfer the chopped kale to a large bowl.

Drizzle the kale with fresh lemon juice and use your hands to squeeze and massage the kale. The purpose of this step is to massage the lemon juice into the fibrous leaves to help soften and break down some of the fibers. This makes the kale easier to chew and aids in digestion. Continue this process for a few minutes.

Once cooled, transfer the roasted sweet potato to the bowl with the massaged kale along with the pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, parmesan cheese, and red onion.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or blender and blend well until combined.

Pour your desired amount of dressing over the salad (I use the whole batch) and toss using salad tongs until everything is well coated in dressing. Taste the salad for flavor and add anything you think it’s missing. More cheese, a pinch of salt, black pepper, more lemon juice, nuts, etc.

Serve this easy kale salad alongside your main entree, and enjoy!