Pomegranate Kale Salad

Similar to the  kale salad with warm bacon vinaigrette, this salad has become a staple in our house. The original recipe calls for wild rice but I find it just as yummy without.

Adapted from Pinch of Yum, serves four

Ingredients

Seeds from half a pomegranate
3 cups kale, stems removed, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese

1/2 onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the dressing to the bowl. Toss to combine.

♥  Amy

Swiss Chard or Kale Pesto

When our garden and CSA baskets hit full swing we are always overwhelmed by kale and swiss chard.  Now that I have found this recipe, we will no longer have a problem using up our leafy greens! It even works well with the ones that have been forgotten in the back of the fridge and started to wilt.

The pesto tastes fantastic tossed over pasta with sun dried tomatoes or in a simple pasta salad with cherry tomatoes and feta. I find it tastes even better cold which makes it a staple for lunches in our house right now.

It could also be served over grilled chicken, shrimp or vegetables. 

Adapted from Kitchenaid, makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients

1 medium bunch (about 8 stalks) swiss chard or kale
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Remove the leaves from the stems of the kale or swiss chard. Discard the stems. Blanch the leaves in the boiling water for 15 seconds and then transfer immediately to a sieve. Rinse with cold water and allow to drain. Once the leaves have cooled, squeeze out as much water as possible. Don't be afraid to squeeze the leaves into a tight ball to do so.

Add the drained leaves, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, chopped garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend the ingredients for 10 to 15 seconds.With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue blending until the mixture is well combined and even consistency.

Store in the fridge for up to a week.

♥  Amy

Kale Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

I have been trying to branch out and find new recipes for the vegetables we get in our CSA basket so we are not eating sautéed kale and swiss chard every night of the week. This recipe is one of the better ones we have found. Plus since it is made with raw kale it will hold up for a day or two in the fridge. I love recipes that make good leftovers for lunches.

Adapted from Just A Taste, serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds kale, washed and dried
1/3 cup toasted nuts, such as walnuts, pecans or pine nuts
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons onion, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Dried cranberries, optional
Blue cheese, crumbled, optional

Directions

Remove the stems of the kale. Roughly chop the leaves into bite size pieces. Place the kale in a large bowl and top with the toasted nuts.

Cook the bacon in a large pan over medium heat. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Reserve approximately 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the pan.

Return the pan with the bacon drippings to stove. Add the onion and garlic, saute for about 1 minute, until soft. Whisk in the vinegar, mustard and brown sugar, make sure to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Remove the vinaigrette from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

Chop up the bacon and add it to the bowl with the kale and nuts. Toss the kale with the warm dressing. Top with the cranberries and cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

♥  Amy

Southwestern Avocado Chili Lime Dressing

The other night I was trying to make a Southwestern Salad, when I realized our yogurt had gone bad. Unable to find a recipe for a southwestern style dressing without yogurt or sour cream or mayonnaise, I decided to throw what we did have, an avocado, into the blender and see what I could come up with.

The result was a light, tangy dressing that I will definitely be making again! As an added bonus, it is dairy-free and paleo-friendly!

Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients

1 avocado
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Water, optional

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add water as necessary to reach the desired consistency.

♥  Amy

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Adapted from Primal Palate, makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup red onion
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

 

Directions

Add the mustard, pepper, salt, onion and vinegar to a blender or food processor. Blend at high speed until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil until fully emulsified.

♥  Amy

Crunchy Kale Salad

This salad is one of those power house salads that is a meal on its own. Especially if you added diced chicken. I also often add hemp hearts or flax seeds.

This salad, with the exception of the avocado, will last an amazingly long time in the refrigerator so don't be intimidated by the large batch size. It will provide several days worth of lunches - always important in our house.

Adapted from Use Real Butter, serves four to six

Ingredients

4 cups kale, shredded

2 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 Granny Smith apple, julienned
1 avocado, diced
1 cup almond slivers
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons tahini

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt, to taste

Directions

Place the orange juice, maple syrup, tahini, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together until blended. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while whisking constantly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the kale, cabbage, apple, avocado, almonds and cranberries. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well coated. 

♥  Amy

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Lunch has been one of the hardest meals for eating paleo - mostly because it is the meal we are most likely to be out of the house making it the easiest to cheat. I recently through together a quick tuna salad for lunch and it was delicious - finally a paleo lunch I would actually want to eat on a regular basis and easy enough to make to pack to work.

Inspired by Guilty Kitchen , serves 2

Ingredients

2 cups lettuce or spinach
1 can tuna, drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Taste #5 Unami Paste, optional
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Combine all the ingredients except the lettuce in a medium bowl. Mix to combine.

Serve over top of the lettuce with sliced avocado if desired.

♥  Amy

Sprouts

Sprouts are so versitile... they can be added to sandwiches and salads for extra protein and a little zip.

There is a long list of beans or seeds that can be sprouted: adzuki bean, alfalfa, fenugreek, mung bean, pea, chick pea, soybean, wheat, corn, rice, quinoa, amaranth, sesame, sun flower, broccoli, radish, watercress, mustard, arugula, clover, lentil... Look in the bulk section at your local organic food store. In Calgary, try Community Foods - they even sell pre-packaged mixes specifically for sprouting.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of dried beans or 2 tablespoon of dried seeds
Water
Glass Jar
Cheesecloth or mesh

Directions

Rinse the beans thoroughly to remove any dirt. Place the beans or seeds into the jar and cover with about 1 cup of water. Place the cheesecloth or mesh over the mouth of the jar and secure with the jar ring, rubber band or string.

Allow to soak in a dark location at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours for beans and 2 to 4 hours for seeds.

Drain the water from the jar. Rinse the beans or seeds with fresh water, completely drain the water. Recover the jar and prop upside down inside a small bowl. Return to the dark location.

Continue to rinse the beans at least twice a day for 3 to 5 days, until they have reached the desired size. They can be exposed to indirect sunlight for the last day if greener sprouts are desired.

Rinse the spouts thoroughly and remove from the jar.

Eat immediately or store in the fridge.



♥  Amy

Paleo Egg Salad

Ingredients

8 eggs
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 pickles, finely chopped
1 avocado
3 slices of bacon, fried and chopped, optional
1 teaspoon mustard powder or 1 tablespoon prepared mustard, additional to taste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Paprika, optional

Directions

Hard boil the eggs. Let cool. Peel and separate the egg whites and yokes into separate bowls.

Roughly chop the egg whites. Add the bacon, celery and pickles. Mash the egg yokes, avocado, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Fold into the egg white mixtures.

Sprinkle with paprika. Serve on top of greens or sliced cucumber.

♥  Amy

Avocado Beet Salad

Serves two

4 small beets
4 fingerling potatoes, optional
1 avocado
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons truffle-infused olive oil
Salt
Pepper
3 cups mixed salad greens

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the beets and potatoes into a roasting pan. Roast for 40 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool.

Remove the skin from the beets and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Slice the potatoes and avocado into 1/4 inch slices. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. Wash the salad greens, dry well and place in a large bowl.

Add the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper to a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Divide the dressing between the bowl with the greens and the bowl with the vegetables. Toss to coat. Plate the salad greens and top with the vegetables.

♥  Amy

Baked Potato Salad

Another recipe from Shauna's baby shower. This version of potato salad is a lot lighter than the traditional mayonaise and egg based recipes. It is a perfect salad for a summer potluck or picnic.

From Martha Stewart, serves four

2 pounds new potatoes, quartered

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonaise

1/2 cup green onions or chives, thinly sliced

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large pot, cover the potatoes water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large boil, whisk together the sour cream and mayonnaise. Add the potatoes, green onions and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Fold to combine.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

 Amy

Caprese Salad

Another recipe from Shauna's baby shower. Caprese is one of my favorite salads and is so easy to make - especially for a large crowd.

Serves four

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 cup boccaccini cheese

1 cup basil leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Amy

Watermelon Feta Mint Salad

A savory watermelon salad? Yes I know it sounds weird but trust me. This recipe is a pleasant surprise...

Adapted from Cook Eat Love, serves four


1 seedless watermelon
4 ounces feta cheese
1 cup fresh mint
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
fresh ground pepper

Remove the rind from the watermelon and chop into cubes. Cube the feta cheese. Roughly chop the mint.

Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Enjoy!


Amy

Edamame Salad

Things have been pretty hectic the past two weeks preparing for David's Yukon adventure. Even though I am staying at home, I got charged with the task of preparing the meals for the backcountry camping trips... hence why I have been a little slow on blogging. 

Two trips, sixteen days, three meals, four men, two dogs = a lot of food!

Yes, the duffle bag is full of food as well...

I will hopefully get around to posting some of my backcountry camping recipes but in the mean time - an easy summer salad.

Serves 4

1 package frozen shelled edamame, thawed

1 red pepper, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon chili sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Serve cold.

Amy