Kale Pear Lime Salad

                   Lacinto Kale    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     

Kale Pear Lime Salad

Lacinto Kale (or Dinosaur Kale) is one variety of that dark green vegetable that everyone is talking about and you know you're supposed to eat more of. Lacinto kale is a slightly sweeter taste than the curly kale variety. I decided to make a kale salad with a sweet taste and experimented with adding lime zest for a strong lime flavor. This is the ultimate detox-your-liver salad with kale, daikon, lime, red cabbage, juice-sweetened dried cranberries, nuts and pears.      


Start with 1 bunch Lacinto kale. Wash well, slice into bite-sized pieces and place in large bowl.
Slice 5 Seckel pears and toss with 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tsp umeboshi vinegar, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp agave nectar, 1 Tbsp olive oil and lime zest of 1 lime. Set aside.
Toast 2 Tbsp pine nuts or pecans and add to kale along with 1 cup red cabbage ribbons, 1 cup daikon radish julienne and 2 Tbsp juice-sweetened dried cranberries. Add the pear-lime dressing mixture. Let the salad sit for 30 min before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Mmmmm.

Salad of the Week 1

I love to have a big salad for lunch most days but my salads have to be hearty enough to fill me and keep me going. Often the ingredients include items that need to be used up combined with items from the pantry. This week's salad used up some green cabbage I had, and satisfied my craving for artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes.
Sorry no picture, I ate it up before realizing I didn't photograph it. :)

Slice half a small green cabbage into ribbons. Saute cabbage ribbons in olive oil until wilted, sprinkling with a pinch of sea salt.
Place cabbage in a bowl and add: 1 can drained and rinsed white beans, 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (not marinated in oil), 1/2 can artichoke hearts cut into 1/8's, a few Kalamata olives sliced.
Dressing is 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, a small garlic clove crushed, pinch of sea salt. Toss with salad.

3 to 5 Bean Salad

With fresh green beans and corn at your local farmer's market (or from your own garden!!) this is a great time of year to make a 3-to-5 bean salad.
1 can kidney beans
1 can blackeyed peas
1 can chickpeas
2 ears fresh corn, cooked and kernels removed
1 lb fresh green beans, lightly steamed, then cut into 1-inch segments
1/2 a large red onion, diced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste
Drain and rinse the canned beans in a colander. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste. Add any fresh herbs that you have in your garden or patio pots.Vary the beans to whatever you have on hand. White beans and black beans taste great too.