Category Archives: Salad

Massaged Kale Salad

October 3, 2012

I usually don’t get excited about kale. I know it’s really good for you. But that’s not incentive enough to eat something otherwise unappealing. It’s part of the cabbage family and in its raw form, can be tough and bitter. But I saw this recipe on my friend Jenna’s blog and I trust her taste. If she said a little massage can make kale delicious, then I was willing to try it! After a minute or two of literally massaging (as in with your hands) coarse salt and a drizzle of olive oil into the kale, it becomes soft and moist and almost sweet. There are all sorts of variations on this salad floating about. I went with her recommendation of red onion, apples, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and feta. Yes, I’m eating cheese again. (Hooray!) More on that later. Although this salad would still be wonderful- and completely dairy-free- without it.

Massaged Kale Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 large bunch kale
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (if you are using a smaller grained salt- such as table or sea salt- make sure to reduce the total amount accordingly)
drizzle olive oil
red onion, diced
dried cranberries
apple, diced
toasted sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
feta, crumbled
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash the kale and pat it dry. Slice off the stiff stems below the leaves and continue slicing the stem away from the leaf until you have cut a thin v-shape into the kale leaf and removed the tough stem all the way up. Stack the kale leaves two or three at a time, roll them up, and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.

2. Place the kale ribbons in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and a drizzle of oil and massage it into the kale with your hands for two minutes. You’ll notice the kale start to turn a darker green and the texture of the kale will begin to soften a bit.

3. Toss in the red onions, dried cranberries, apples, and sunflower seeds. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top and serve. The salad can be refrigerated for up to a day before serving.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe via Lahatchita Eats)

Spinach Salad with Oranges, Avocado, and Pistachios

March 5, 2012

As much as I’m ready for spring and relishing these 70 degree days (well, yesterday was warm and sunny- today it’s snowing), I’m still enjoying winter eating. This season brings the best of citrus and what better way to enjoy an orange than in a tangy-sweet salad accompanied by creamy avocado and nutty pistachios. I whipped together a honey-orange vinaigrette to drizzle atop. I was hosting (half) my family for dinner and this salad disappeared quick. A new winter favorite.

Spinach Salad with Oranges, Avocado, and Pistachios

INGREDIENTS

6 oz. baby spinach
6 oz. mixed greens
2-3 navel oranges
2 avocados, pitted and diced (toss in a squeeze of orange juice to prevent browning)
pistachios, toasted

Honey-Orange Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk to combine the orange juice, vinegar, Dijon and honey. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. In a large bowl combine spinach, mixed greens, oranges, avocado, and pistachios. Drizzle with vinaigrette, toss, and serve.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Serious Eats)

Cranberry-Almond Grilled Chicken Salad

February 17, 2012

For the first few months of this pregnancy I could barely eat anything that resembled a vegetable. Lettuce? Forget it. And meat was equally repulsive. Bread and fruit kept us alive. Thankfully, I’ve recovered much of my appetite and I’m getting my greens again. Salads are especially enticing. And since I’ve been surviving off of this one lately, I figured it was time I shared it with you. It was inspired by a salad I ordered at a local cafe, and conveniently uses ingredients that I usually have on hand. I’ve made it a dozen times, and half a dozen different ways. In fact, this time I forgot to add the carrot. No biggie. But it’s best with all the elements to play off each other- sharp cheddar and crisp apple, tart-sweet cranberries and toasty almonds, juicy tomato and cool cucumber. The chicken is definitely optional. I’ve paired it with a honey-mustard vinaigrette here, but it’s equally delicious with balsamic or pomegranate dressings as well.

Cranberry-Almond Grilled Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

mixed greens
spinach
carrot, shredded
grape tomatoes, halved
cucumber, diced
cheddar cheese, grated
apple, thinly sliced
sweetened dried cranberries
sliced almonds, toasted
chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled and thinly sliced

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the salad, combine mixed greens, spinach, carrot, tomatoes, cucumber, cheddar, apple, cranberries, and almond on a large plate or bowl. Top with grilled chicken breast.

2. To make the vinaigrette, whisk to combine the vinegar, Dijon, and honey. While whisking constantly, slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle over salad and serve.

Vinaigrette serves 3-4.

(Vinaigrette from this recipe)

Heather’s Smoked Gouda, Pecan, and Cherry Salad with Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

June 1, 2010

I find that I don’t talk much about my non-food life here on this blog. I do spend my time in ways other than grocery shopping, cooking, baking, eating, and food blogging. Like going to school, for instance. But only for 7 more months! In December I’ll be graduating from nursing school and become an RN! That part of my life is also busy and somewhat more interesting than what I eat. But sometimes nursing and food don’t mix so well. It can be unappetizing. Luckily, I’ve grown accustomed to it. Nothing tastes as good on a hospital floor scarfed down in the 15 seconds between a soiled bed change and catheter insertion. But when I get home I can down a plate of pasta while simultaneously describing the sacral ulcer debridement I saw in the OR that day. My husband (who spends his life in people’s mouths- which I find much grosser) doesn’t appreciate my stories during dinner so much. And it would be counterproductive if you, my readers, left here nauseous rather than salivating.

So I stick to the food. And throw in tidbits here and there about what else I do. My summer semester started last week and tomorrow is my first day back in the hospital. I get to survive my first 12-hours shifts in the STICU (surgery trauma intensive care unit) and the rest of my hours will be back on L&D (labor and delivery). I won’t be delivering any babies this time around but rather shadowing a nurse clinician/manager for a leadership class. No matter. L&D is my only love so far and I’m thrilled to be back on that floor in any form (except as a patient- I’m not quite ready for that yet)!

Oh, yes, about this salad. It’s awesome. My friend Heather shared the recipe with me, which I believe she got from her mom. I could go on and on about how good it is, so just believe me. This unique vinaigrette features green onion and pretty poppy seeds. I reduced the sugar by half from the original recipe and it is still very sweet.

Heather’s Smoked Gouda, Pecan, and Cherry Salad with Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

spring mix + spinach
pecans, whole or chopped
dried sweetened cherries
red onion, thinly sliced
smoked Gouda, grated

Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette:
1 whole green onion, ends removed
2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/6 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender or food processor, puree onion with sugar, mustard, salt, and red wine vinegar. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add the poppy seeds and pulse to combine.

2. Toss spring mix and spinach and top with pecans, cherries, onion, and cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Makes about 3/4 cup of vinaigrette.

(Recipe courtesy of Heather Sedwick)

Cherry Chicken Salad

May 7, 2010

I practically wrote a book the first time I published this post, so I’ll be concise today. This chewy and crunchy cherry chicken salad is still a favorite! This time I swapped red onion for the celery (because I didn’t have any), but I suggest including both. I went with Greek yogurt in place of half of the mayo (cutting out a significant number of calories) and it still tasted great! Definitely a clever healthy trick you should try!

Isn’t it strange how we form such strong aversions to particular foods when we are children, and then one day we realize how much we’d been missing out on? Why did I detest ketchup as a kid, and why wouldn’t I touch refried beans? Who knows, because I don’t think I actually ever tried them. It was the idea of them that turned me off. Sometimes I think we’re told what to do and how to behave so often when we’re young that, when it comes to food, we try to win back control by being stubborn and picky eaters. (Because no one can actually force us to eat something, and how do they know what we like!?) I’ll bet I actually wanted to put ketchup on my french fries once and a while, but unfortunately wanted even more to be opinionated/different… so it was with a plethora of foods I never experienced. Of course we don’t realize this when we’re young. Hindsight being 20/20, I sure wish I’d given a chance to half of the dishes I stuck up my nose at.

Luckily, one day (several years ago) I woke up (it may have been a more gradual transformation, but this is the way I remember it) and I was tired of being picky. Or maybe I was tired of eating the same boring thing every day. No matter how I arrived at this point, I’m grateful I got here. I’m not afraid anymore. (Sometimes we’re too afraid we’ll dislike something to even try it. How wimpy is that?) I’m no longer hesitant to try new things, and more importantly, not fearful of finding out that I genuinely do hate something. But the fantastic part is, those occasions are rare.

For some reason I had the notion that I didn’t like chicken salad. Now I’ve collected a whole stack of chicken salad recipes, because I can’t seem to get enough. This recipe became an instant favorite! Chewy and crunchy, sweet and salty, creamy and crisp. Incredible served on my freshly griddled Whole Wheat English Muffins.

I regret my picky days. (When Dustin met me I told him seafood was gross, and now I crave it, love it!) We’re only alive so long and can only eat so much. I wish I’d spent those years with a more open mind, but alas I’m playing catch-up now; a (formerly) culinarily self-deprived young lady working her way through a world of exquisite tastes.

Cherry Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or half mayonnaise, half plain Greek yogurt)
1 Tbsp. buttermilk (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
1/2 cup apple. cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve as a sandwich or over a bed of greens.

Serves 2-4.

(Adapted from All Recipes)