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

                

Black Berry Farro Salad & Roasted Jalapeno Dressing

You may be thinking, “Oh no, another farro dish!”  But farro is versatile and goes with so many flavors, and it’s healthy, and mostly its' because I bought a big bag of farro at Costco! 



As I was thinking about the characteristics of this salad, I realized that it has the same characteristics that I look for in a friend.  It’s a little spicy, but not obscene.  It’s sweet, but not cloyingly sweet.  It’s a bit tart, to keep things in balance.  It’s cheesy, and cheesy is just good clean fun.  Lastly it’s healthy, but in a tasty way, not in a way that’s preachy. 

Now I wonder; if I start to compare everyone to food, what weird and possibly disturbing things will I think of? 

I don’t think I’m gonna do that!

 

Any hoo…Black Berry Farro Salad & Roasted Jalapeno Dressing makes for a perfect summer supper.  While I used black berries, pretty much any summer fruit (with the exception of melon) would be gosh durned tasty!

 

 

Black Berry Farro Salad with Roasted Jalapeno Dressing 

Serves 2 as an entrée, 4 as a side

FOR THE SALAD

5             oz.          Goat cheese

¼             cup         Toasted sliced Almonds, finely chopped

2             cups       Cooked farro

1             cup         Chick peas, drained and rinsed

1             cup         Cucumber, medium dice

1                             Avocado, medium dice

1/3         cup         Scallions, green part only, sliced

¼             cup         Cilantro, roughly chopped

Roasted Jalapeno Dressing, recipe follows

Salt and pepper to taste

6             oz.          Black berries

1.  Scoop 1 teaspoon of goat cheese and roll it into a ball, repeat with the remaining goat cheese.  Pour the almonds on to a plate and roll the balls of goat cheese, pressing lightly, in the almonds to coat.  Put to the side. 

2.  In a large bowl combine the cooked farro, chickpeas, cucumbers, avocado, scallions, cilantro, and 1/3 cup of the dressing; season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Pour the farro mixture onto a serving dish, arrange the black berries, avocado, and goat cheese balls in an attractive manner on the top of the salad.  Serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Notes:  * While the balls of goat cheese make for a pretty presentation, you may choose just to crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle it and the sliced almonds (in which case don’t chop the almonds) on the salad at the end.

**Swap out the black berries for any other kind of berry you like, or grapes, or peaches.

***To have this serve 4 as an entrée, serve the salad over a bed of head of butter lettuce, or a 5 oz. bag of baby spinach or baby kale; and the addition of seared shrimp or scallops would be lovely.

 

FOR THE ROASTED JALAPENO DRESSING

Makes 1 cup

2                             Jalapenos, halved, with the seeds removed

2             tsp.         Canola or grape seed oil

2             cloves    Garlic, whole and unpeeled

3                             Scallions, white part only, minced

1 ½                         Limes, juice only

2             Tbsp.      Rice vinegar

1             tsp.         Dijon mustard

2             tsp.         Honey

½             cup         Avocado oil, canola oil, or grape seed oil (you may add up to 2/3 cup oil depending on how acidic you like your dressing)

                                Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  On a small, shallow baking dish (or sheet pan) toss the jalapenos and garlic cloves in the 2 tsp. of canola oil.  Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the skin of the jalapenos has blistered and the garlic is soft.  Remove the skin from the jalapenos and squeeze the garlic out of it's skin.

2.  In a food processor or a blender add all of the ingredients except for the avocado oil (or canola or grape seed oil).  Turn the food processor on and slowly stream the oil in through the top until completely blended; season with salt and pepper to taste. 

*Note, the spicy heat in this dressing is just enough that it tickles the back of your throat, for spicier dressing, leave the jalapenos whole when you roast them, and then remove the seeds after they’re cooked.         

You may also like:

Aprircot Quinoa Salad with Citrus Vinairgrette

Nectarine (peach) & Feta Salad

Tomato & Cheddar Pie

Farro Lentil & Vegetable Salad

PESTO DRESSING plus STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD , plus TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD One simple dressing, two simple salads

My church has a restaurant, a really good restaurant called The Grill…like people come there all days of the week to eat just cuz the food is so delish!  Whenever I eat there, I get the same salad with a white balsamic herb dressing it’s sooo good, I might order something else as well, but I always get the salad.

I love the dressing so much, that I copied it using simple ingredients, and it tastes pretty right on spot on!

The recipes for Strawberry Spinach Salad and Tortellini Pasta Salad are simple and made even easier by using the same Pesto Dressing to dress both salads.  I brought both of these salads to an event, and no one even noticed that the same dressing was used; they just loved both of the salads!

Pesto Dressing is super simple to make, because it uses store bought basil pesto. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad is just four ingredients including the dressing, and it’s perfect with only those four ingredients; and the sweetness of the white balsamic vinegar is what stands out about the dressing.  

There is no chopping of anything of the ingredients for the Tortellini Pasta Salad, so that goes together in a cinch, and the noticeable flavors from the Pesto Dressing are the basil and cheese.

Normally I show step by step photos for each recipe, but the recipes are so easy that you don’t need them; put the ingredients for the Pesto Dressing in a bowl and whisk, put the ingredients for the Strawberry Spinach Salad in a bowl and toss, put the ingredients for Tortellini Pasta Salad in a bowl and stir…get my drift? 

 

When life seems complicated, uncomplicated it…at least in the kitchen any way!

This delicious dressing is made by mixing together jarred basil pesto, white balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and grape seed or canola oil.  

I like the flavor of olive oil, but it can take over in a dressing, so I also use a mild flavored grape seed oil.

 

For the Tortellini Pasta salad, toss together some cooked and cooled cheese or spinach & cheese tortellini, grape or cherry tomatoes, bocaccini (little mozarella balls), marinated artichoke hearts, corn, and Pesto Dressing.

Tortellini Pasta Salad is also the recipe I use for whimsical Pasta Salad on a Stick; omitting the corn, and using a bit more of the tomatoes and the bocaccini.

On six inch skewers; skewer two tortellini which have been tossed in half of the dressing, two tomatoes, and an artichoke heart, a bocaccini, and then serve the remaining dressing on the side.  

You'll get about a dozen and a half skewers.

 

The Strawberry Spinach Salad is just spinach, sliced strawberries, and Pesto Dressing tossed together.

 You could also use arugula or baby kale instead of the spinach. 

If you don't like sesame sticks use the wonton or tortilla strip Salad Toppers that you find in the produce section. 

 

I don't use cheese in the salad because the pesto contains cheese, but if you'd like you may add goat or feta cheese.

PESTO DRESSING

Makes 1 cup, serves 4

½             cup             Prepared basil pesto

2              Tbsp.           White balsamic vinegar

                                 Juice of half of a lemon

3              Tbsp.           Grape seed or canola oil

2              Tbsp.           Extra virgin olive oil

1.  Put all of the ingredients into a jar and shake well, or into a medium bowl and whisk well.  Store dressing in the refrigerator for about a week.

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Serves 4

1 -6         oz. bag              Baby spinach

1             recipe                Pesto Dressing

1 ½         cups                  Fresh strawberries, sliced

1/3          cup                   Sesame sticks

1.  In a large bowl, toss the spinach with half of the dressing.  Top the dressed spinach with the strawberry slices and sesame.  Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side.

Serve with salmon, shrimp, chicken or pork.

TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD

Serves 6 to 8

1 -9         oz. package          Cheese or spinach & cheese tortellini

1 -8         oz. container        Bocaccini, marinated or plain, drained

1             pint                    Grape or cherry tomatoes

1 -12        oz. jar                 Marinated artichoke hearts, quartered and drained

1             cup                    Corn kernels, either frozen, or from 2 ears of corn which have been quickly blanched.

1 ½         recipes                Pesto dressing

1.  Cook the tortellini according to the package directions and drain the water and toss with half of the dressing.  Allow the tortellini to cool completely; it’s helpful to lay it a single layer on a sheet pan.

2.  Add the bocaccini, tomatoes, corn, and half of the remaining dressing, stir gently as not to break the tortellini.  Give it a taste and add more dressing if desired.  Serve at room temperature.

Notes:  *Fresh mozzarella which has been cubed may be substituted for bocaccini.

             **I also like to stir in baby spinach and/or cubed cooked turkey or chicken breast.       


You might also like:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Blue Cheese

Farfalle Pasta with Marinated Vegatables

      

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing plus Dill Croutons

Mango Slaw