KALE AND SUMMER STONE FRUIT SALAD

Billy and I have been dining out a-lot lately; breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, you name it! 

I try to make wise food choices, but how do I turn down a buttermilk batter, fried portabella mushroom sammie topped with cheese and pesto…you tell me?!!

I feel like a big ol’ bowl of greens helps me get back in line and back on track.  Since it’s summer, fresh kale from the farmer’s market and local summer fruit are what I crave.

I used apricots and plums; but peaches, nectarines and or cherries would also be really good in Kale and Summer Stone Fruit Salad.

The dressing for this salad uses quite a lot of shallots, the shallots taste pickled in this low-fat dressing.  

Some folks massage their kale to soften it, but I’d rather receive a massage than give it (Sounds selfish, I know.) so I dress just the kale and leave it overnight in the refrigerator to soften the kale, though just a few hours will be okay.

The great thing about this recipe is that it makes a whole whack, and that the salad is fine to sit in the fridge for three or four days.  I can eat Kale and Summer Stone Fruit Salad for days and feel good about my eating again!

KALE AND SUMMER STONE FRUIT SALAD

Serves 8 to 10

FOR THE DRESSING

      1                     clove      Garlic, minced

¼             cup          Shallots, minced (about 2 small shallots)

1                             Navel orange, juice only

½                            Lemon, juice only

1              Tbsp.         Dijon mustard

1              Tbsp.         Honey

½             tsp.          Soy sauce

1/8           tsp.          Sesame oil (optional)

A pinch                    Dried red chili pepper flakes (optional)

2              Tbsp.        Olive oil

2              Tbsp.        Canola, grape seed, or avocado oil

                               Salt and pepper to taste

   1.        In a small bowl, whisk together the first 9 ingredients.  Pour the olive oil and canola oil into the first ingredients in a slow steady stream while whisking continually.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*You may also just add all of the ingredients together to a jar, close the lid tightly and shake the jar for a minute or two until the ingredients are emulsified.

FOR THE SALAD

12              cups         Kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces (1 bunch of kale)

1         ½             cups        Snow peas or snap peas

½                             Red bell pepper, thinly sliced

3                              Apricots, cut into thin wedges

2                              Plums, cut into thin wedges

¼                cup        Toasted, slivered almonds

   1.        In a large bowl, combine the kale with ¾ cup of the dressing and a couple of pinches of salt & pepper; toss well to coat and refrigerate for at least an hour, or even better overnight.  Marinating the kale will help to soften the tough kale; and don’t worry, it won’t be mushy like lettuce.

   2.       When ready to serve, add the remaining ingredients to the salad as well as the remaining dressing.

*Notes:  This salad will be terrific with any combination of stone fruits including fresh cherries, peaches, and nectarines.

Because of the sturdiness of the ingredients, the salad will keep well for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.

You may also like:

Nectarine (Peach) and Feta Salad

Tomato Parmesan Salmon with Sauteed Kale

Watermelon Haloumi Cheese Salad

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing plus Dill Croutons

                

NECTARINE ( or peach ) AND FETA SALAD WITH AN HERBACIOUS WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Nothing makes me feel young again like a vacation of just hanging out by the water all day, coming home exhausted and happy after an afternoon of sunning and frolicking.  Then stopping by the market on the way home for fresh picked tomatoes, corn, and nectarines and herbs.  I use nectarines so as not to be confused with Peaches and Herb!  Reunited and it feels so good, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.  See that's what happens if I use peaches with herbs... feel free to use nectarines or peaches.




Oh, the dog days of summer…
This is the newest member of the Lindsay clan, my brother and sister in law’s puppy, Putter.  I am smitten.






It’s 90 degrees and sunny  with nothing to do but float down the Swan River on a good old inner tube.  Actually we have special tubes just for floating.  Our tubes are called the River Rat… oh so charming!  You will not see pictures of me in my tubing attire which consists of a 2 piece bathing suit for optimum tummy tanning, older than the hills river shoes which are Velcro sandals ( think Tevos ), and a ball cap to keep the sun out of my eyes because I don’t wear my sunglasses in the river.  No, I will only share with you the pretty pictures of the river.



This is not the river we tube down!  This is the McDonald River at Glacier Park.













We take the less thrilling and more leisurely Swan River.








After an afternoon of  summer fun; a simple and refreshing salad will hit the spot.  To keep the summer theme in mind I remember a Tomato Peach and Burrata salad I had seen on What’s Gaby Cookinghttp://whatsgabycooking.com/tomato-peach-and-burrata-salad-recipe/.
This salad is totally inspired by Gaby’s recipe.  All of my favorite summer produce in one bowl.  Nectarines looked best at my market but you can also use peaches, with tomatoes, corn and I like the salty creaminess of feta with all that sweet produce.




Make the vinaigrette.  The basil and parsley perk up the salad.











Often the pits are not easily removed from a nectarine or peach, so just cut down either side of the pit to remove the sweet flesh.








 Put the salad together in a large, shallow bowl or platter and serve the vinaigrette on the side, or dress the salad right before serving.  Nectarine and Feta salad is great with any grilled meat and a loaf of crusty bread.







Serves 6
For the dressing:
1        Garlic clove, minced
2     tsp    Dijon mustard
1    tsp    Honey
¼    tsp    Salt
¼    tsp    Pepper
¼     cup    Italian or flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
½    cup    Basil, finely chopped
1/3    cup    White balsamic vinegar
1    cup    Extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

1- 5 oz.  package  Super Greens, or another sturdy lettuce such as romaine
4        Nectarines or peaches, sliced
8        Campari tomatoes, or 4 small tomatoes, cut into wedges.  About 2 cups
1 ½     cups    Corn either from frozen and thawed out, or 3 fresh ears of corn
½        Red onion, thinly sliced
4    oz    Feta cheese, crumbled

1.  In a small bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing except for the olive oil.
2.  Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the ingredients in bowl, while whisking.  Set to the side.
3.  If using fresh corn, blanch the corn in boiling salted water for about 1 minute.  Cut the corn off the cob to use in the salad.
4.  In a large shallow bowl mix all the ingredients for the salad.
5.  Either serve the dressing on the side, or dress the salad immediately before serving.