I basically have an eating bread for every meal for the last 10 days because I’m so exhausted I can’t be bothered to put a real meal together. But today I was feeling really hungry and I knew that I needed to eat something and something a tad bit nutrient dense. I ended up cutting up two small bunches of kale and I made this incredible kale salad.
I know, I know kale salad is so last season but I am still loving it. This version has 2 small bunches of lacinato kale massaged with a sauce of tahini, lemon juice, coconut aminos, olive oil, garlic granules, salt and pepper and tossed with a handful of hemp seeds for added plant-based protein and omega 3’s and 6’s. I had not planned on eating the entire bowl – but I did with the help of my 20 month old and I have zero regrets doing so. Seriously savory, creamy and delicious. Give it a try and share with me on Instagram #bowlsbylindsay
Creamy Kale Salad
Serves 2-4 or one super hungry mama
2 small bunches lacinato kale, rinsed and finely chopped
Wash your hands well and toss everything in a big bowl; massage until thekale has softened. Enjoy!
Q/ Are you into kale salad? What is your favorite recipe?
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Spring has sprung at the farmers market and I just can’t get enough of the Spring greens, herbs and the early Spring carrots. As an effort to work through my cookbook stack I have been picking a few recipes each week to try. This week I cracked open Near & Far by Heidi Swanson and when I saw her Spring forward recipe for Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad I knew I had to make it. Unfortunately dill wasn’t anywhere to be found at my market but beautiful chives were so I subbed out the dill for chives and made an amazing salad that had both Neil and I wanting more.
Lucky for you all Heidi has this recipe up on her blog 101 Cookbooks so you too can make it! Enjoy!
Sides have always been my favorite thing when it comes to holiday dinners. I love mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, warm flakey rolls and green bean casserole but only the one made with tinned french cut green beans. The thing with all of these sides is that they are super heavy and while tasty a bit beige and boring.
In hopes of livening up the table this holiday season I have been working on a few colorful, tasty and festive side dishes. One of them happens to be a salad and I know what you are thinking who wants salad when there is tinned jellied cranberry sauce and that sweet potato casserole with the marshmallows. Hmmm maybe I did make salad seem just a little more appealing.
The salad I am sharing with you today is colorful, filled with familiar holiday flavors and ingredients but is also fun and will impress your guests. It’s a combo of sweet squash, creamy tahini sauce, crisp fresh apple, crunchy nuts, peppery greens and a tart and tangy lemon dressing. Basically the perfect combination of flavors and textures.
Roasted Delicata Squash Apple Walnut Salad With PEPPERGREENS
1 Delicata Squash, washed, cut into rounds and seeds removed
1 box organicgirl PEPPERGREENS
1 Gala or Fuji Apple, thinly sliced
1/4-1/3 cup Walnuts
1/4 cup organicgirl Salad Love Lemon Agave
Maple Tahini Sauce
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
3 tablespoons Tahini
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
3 tablespoons water
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the delicata squash rounds on the pan. Spray the squash with a light coating of coconut oil spray (optional) and season with salt and pepper. Place sheet pan in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes; until the squash is cooked through. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet before adding to salad.
While the squash is roasting make the tahini sauce my simply whisking everything together.
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat just until they start to get a little bit of color. Remove and allow to cool.
To assemble: Divide the greens between four different plates, top with a few slices of apple and squash. Drizzle a tablespoon each of the lemon agave dressing and the tahini sauce over the salad. Crush a few walnuts between your fingers and sprinkle over the salad.
Notes
Delicata squash skin is super tender so there is no need to remove it just give it a good wash.
Feel free to serve this salad family style by placing the greens in a large bowl, top with apples, squash and walnuts and dress just before serving.
Toss the apple slices with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.
I’ll tell you this salad is so good that I have been making it all week and plan to make it part of my regular rotation. If you want to bulk this dish up a bit add some slices of BBQ tempeh to the top and you have a complete meal.
What side dishes will you be serving up this Thanksgiving? What are your favorites?
Where to find organicgirl: Available nationwide, including Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, New Seasons and many neighborhood markets in Portland.
Disclosure: This post was created in collaboration with organicgirl. I am thrilled to be working on a three part series with organicgirl because frankly I have been obsessed with organicgirl for years.
What’s that a recipe? Yes I actually took the time to write down and measure ingredients so I could write a recipe post. Lately I have been in the kitchen just tossing things together hoping that they workout and haven’t been writing down anything but that is going to change. This recipe is one that I have been thinking about for awhile now and it is based on one of my favorite salads from a local restaurant we love.
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups shredded kale
1-15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-15oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of fresh or defrosted corn
Lime Vinaigrette (Recipe Below)
Preheat oven to 375F. Toss sweet potato with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread onto a sheet pan. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Toss the kale, beans and corn with the lime vinaigrette. Add the warm sweet potatoes to the salad and toss to combine. Serve room temperature.
Lime Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons agave
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Juice of two limes
1/4 cup EVOO
Whisk everything except olive oil together. While whisking slowly stream in the EVOO.
While I prep for the arrival of our baby I have invited Mellissa from A Fit and Spicy Life to share one of her recipes.
Quinoa, Garbanzo and Spinach Salad
with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette
Ingredients (Serves 8-10)
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
4 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 unpeeled English hothouse cucumber, cut into small pieces
1-pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
Place quinoa in large saucepan; add enough salted water to cover quinoa by 1 inch. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 16 minutes. Drain. Chill until cool.
Combine spinach leaves, garbanzos, cubed cucumber, halved tomatoes and mint leaves in extra-large bowl.
Add cooled quinoa and toss gently to blend.
Whisk vinegar and smoked paprika in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.
Season generously with salt and pepper.
Mellissa is a 30 something girl living in Minneapolis who lives fitness, food, travel and wine. She creates healthy recipes and tries to share her love of food with friends and family
Many of you have been asking for this recipe and so here it is! Enjoy!
Pink Potato Salad (beet-potato salad with mustard-horseradish dressing)
Ingredients:
3 medium new potatoes, large dice
1 bunch small beets, peeled and large dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
3-4 sweet salad turnips, thinly sliced (or you could use radish- not exactly the same flavor but provides the crunch)
Dressing:
1/3 cup vegenaise
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
Preheat an oven to 350F. Toss the potatoes and beets together with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on to a sheet pan; bake for 20-25 minutes until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
While the potatoes and beets are cooling prepare the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, toss in the turnips and the slightly cooled potatoes and beets. Gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Then toss again, taste for seasoning and then it’s ready to serve!
Last night started what I hope to be a tradition of dinner and a movie with our friend Laura. We have been talking for months (years?) about watching the Bourne Trilogy because Laura is obsessed and neither Neil or I have seen them. We finally made a dinner and a movie date and watched the first one last night. Laura cooked spaghetti and provided the wine, I brought the salad and the Hubz brought the chocolate. We had a wonderful night of chatting, eating and movie watching. Now we have to set the date to watch the 2nd movie!
Laura Cooking Up a Storm
Salad with creamy pesto dressing
My Plate - YUM
Laura's Cat...this is as close to Neil as she would get- the he tried to touch her...not recommended
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