Salads
Winter Kale Apple Salad:
This is one of those salads that is easy to make with whatever ingredients you have. It also tastes great with mixed greens instead of kale. The measurements are approximate depending on what you have and the flavor you'd like. I enjoy the combination of flavors...primarily sour, sweet, salty (and spicy depending on how much garlic you use).
1-2 bunches of Kale – destemmed and chopped small
3 Apples - granny smith and sweet (like Gala) – cubed
3 Scallions – chopped
1/2 - 1c. sharp cheddar – shredded
1 c. walnuts or pecans – chopped coarse
The dressing: measurements are approximate. I just try to make sure I can taste all the flavors.
1/2 c. olive oil
1-3 cloves garlic – chopped. Let it infuse into the olive oil for at least a few minutes before adding other indredients
¼ C. balsalmic vinegar
1 lime
1-3 T. Dijon mustard
2-4 T. maple syrup or honey
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Squeeze the juice of the lime onto chopped kale with salt (generous) and massage kale. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to an hour or so before adding the rest of the dressing and salad ingredients.
2. Mix the dressing
3. Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the kale and toss with dressing
4. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Sometimes a few hours helps infuse the flavors together.
This is one of those salads that is easy to make with whatever ingredients you have. It also tastes great with mixed greens instead of kale. The measurements are approximate depending on what you have and the flavor you'd like. I enjoy the combination of flavors...primarily sour, sweet, salty (and spicy depending on how much garlic you use).
1-2 bunches of Kale – destemmed and chopped small
3 Apples - granny smith and sweet (like Gala) – cubed
3 Scallions – chopped
1/2 - 1c. sharp cheddar – shredded
1 c. walnuts or pecans – chopped coarse
The dressing: measurements are approximate. I just try to make sure I can taste all the flavors.
1/2 c. olive oil
1-3 cloves garlic – chopped. Let it infuse into the olive oil for at least a few minutes before adding other indredients
¼ C. balsalmic vinegar
1 lime
1-3 T. Dijon mustard
2-4 T. maple syrup or honey
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Squeeze the juice of the lime onto chopped kale with salt (generous) and massage kale. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to an hour or so before adding the rest of the dressing and salad ingredients.
2. Mix the dressing
3. Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the kale and toss with dressing
4. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Sometimes a few hours helps infuse the flavors together.
Arugula Salad Variations
Source: Rachelle Price, ND
Arugula is a nutritious green that has a spicy, almost peppery flavor. It's slightly bitter flavor stimulates digestion as well. It tastes great dressed with something sweet like balsamic fig vinegar or many other variations. Go ahead and try one of these great combinations or make your own!
The dressing:
I mix this to taste and it always ends up a little different, depending on what else I'm adding to the salad and how sweet or tangy I'd like it. Here is what I usually put in:
The salad:
To a bowl of freshly washed baby arugula leaves, I add one of these combinations and toss with the balsamic dressing.
Source: Rachelle Price, ND
Arugula is a nutritious green that has a spicy, almost peppery flavor. It's slightly bitter flavor stimulates digestion as well. It tastes great dressed with something sweet like balsamic fig vinegar or many other variations. Go ahead and try one of these great combinations or make your own!
The dressing:
I mix this to taste and it always ends up a little different, depending on what else I'm adding to the salad and how sweet or tangy I'd like it. Here is what I usually put in:
- balsamic vinegar (plain or infused with something like figs)
- fresh squeezed lemon
- maple syrup
- olive oil
- mustard powder or dijon
- sometimes crushed garlic
The salad:
To a bowl of freshly washed baby arugula leaves, I add one of these combinations and toss with the balsamic dressing.
- Red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds, shredded parmesan or romano cheese
- goat cheese, walnuts or pecans, pears or cranberries
- beets, goat cheese, walnuts and black pepper
- pomegranate seeds, walnuts, parmesan or romano
- red onion, black pepper, shredded parmesan or romano
- sliced fresh figs, prosciutto, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, black or kalamata olives
Massaged Kale Salad
This salad is a versatile adaptation from a salad I made in one of my whole foods cooking classes while studying Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. The trick to getting the Kale soft and tasty without cooking it is massaging it while wet with salt and letting it sit before adding the other ingredients. Kale is deliciously crunchy and very nutritious! Kale is especially high in Vitamin A, K and C as are many leafy greens. I've made many versions of this salad with a variety of vegetables and nuts and I rarely measure the dressing but just taste as I go, adapting to that day's taste buds.
Prep Time: 20 minutes. However, make this salad a few hours at least before eating it. It tastes better if its allowed time to "marinate".
Ingredients:
This salad is a versatile adaptation from a salad I made in one of my whole foods cooking classes while studying Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. The trick to getting the Kale soft and tasty without cooking it is massaging it while wet with salt and letting it sit before adding the other ingredients. Kale is deliciously crunchy and very nutritious! Kale is especially high in Vitamin A, K and C as are many leafy greens. I've made many versions of this salad with a variety of vegetables and nuts and I rarely measure the dressing but just taste as I go, adapting to that day's taste buds.
Prep Time: 20 minutes. However, make this salad a few hours at least before eating it. It tastes better if its allowed time to "marinate".
Ingredients:
- 1-2 bunches of kale (this makes up the bulk of the salad) - chopped
- 2-3 large carrots - shredded or sliced very thinly
- 3-8 green onions or chives - chopped
- 1/2 - 2 cups Chopped Nuts: I often use walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or all of them mixed together (raw or toasted work fine).
- Dressing: 1/2 c. olive oil, 2-4 T. toasted sesame oil, 1/4 c. vinegar or lemon or lime juice (apple cider vinegar works well), soy sauce or salt to taste, crushed black pepper to taste, 3 garlic cloves chopped, fresh grated ginger (optional)
- Chop the kale (including stems) fairly small and wash it.
- While the kale is still wet, place it in the salad bowl, sprinkle it with salt (1-2 tsp) and massage and squeeze the salt into the kale for a few minutes.
- Let the kale sit for 30 minutes to an hour (to soften and remove the slightly bitter taste)
- Meanwhile, mix the dressing (and chop the other veggies)
- Mixing the dressing: First mix the two oils and add the chopped garlic. If you have the time, wait a few minutes or more for the garlic to infuse into the oil before adding the vinegar/citrus, salt/soy sauce, pepper and ginger. Mix well before tossing the salad at the end (step 7).
- Add the carrots, green onions and nuts to the salad
- Toss the salad with the mixed dressing. This salad is best if it sits for an hour or more (out of the refrigerator is fine)
Grilled Wedge Salad with Pesto (serves 2)
This was inspired by my uncle Dave’s grilled veggies that I enjoy in the summer. This can be a full meal if you use half a romaine lettuce head per person. Slice the veggies large enough so they don’t fall through the grill slats and try to keep them a uniform thickness so they cook evenly. Once they are off the grill, you can slice them into bite sized pieces for the salad. The poblano peppers give it quite a kick so choose wisely. :)
The salad:
1. Heat up the grill while you are preparing veggies. Turn down head to medium-low once it is hot.
2. Slice the vegetables as described above. Set aside romaine halves and tomatoes to put on the grill last.
3. Put the rest of the veggies in a large, shallow dish to toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and Italian seasoning if you’d like.
4. Grill the veggies and bacon. Thickest ones in the hottest areas of grill. Keep an eye on them so if they are getting dark you can move them to the warming rack. The bacon will cause a bit of flames so you may need to turn the grill down a bit at first.
5. In the mean time, make the dressing and shred the cheese.
6. Add the tomatoes and romaine as you are taking the veggies off the grill. They only need about 2 minutes to be seared and you may want to turn the grill back up to Medium or so.
7. Once the vegetables, bacon and lettuce are removed from the grill, chop into smaller bite sized pieces and put dressing and cheese on top.
The Dressing:
1. I’ve tried many variations of “dressing” for this salad, even just olive oil and salt tastes good. The best so far is mixing the pesto with a little more olive oil and balsamic vinegar tossing the salad with it.
2. Sprinkle with a little salt and shredded cheese and enjoy outside with friends and a beautiful view if possible!
This was inspired by my uncle Dave’s grilled veggies that I enjoy in the summer. This can be a full meal if you use half a romaine lettuce head per person. Slice the veggies large enough so they don’t fall through the grill slats and try to keep them a uniform thickness so they cook evenly. Once they are off the grill, you can slice them into bite sized pieces for the salad. The poblano peppers give it quite a kick so choose wisely. :)
The salad:
- Romaine lettuce heads – ½ for each salad – sliced in half lengthwise so they hold together on the grill
- Summer squash and zucchini – sliced lengthwise with even thickness
- Portabella mushrooms – thick slices
- Bell peppers -Red, green or yellow (I like red best) – sliced
- Poblano peppers – sliced t- pretty spicy
- Onions – lots of them of any color (the yellow ones grill up a bit sweet) – sliced in semi- thick rounds
- Avocado – sliced thickly length wise
- Tomato – sliced in thick rounds
- Raw Bacon Slices
- Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder (and Italian seasoning – optional) to taste
- Olive oil to toss on veggies
1. Heat up the grill while you are preparing veggies. Turn down head to medium-low once it is hot.
2. Slice the vegetables as described above. Set aside romaine halves and tomatoes to put on the grill last.
3. Put the rest of the veggies in a large, shallow dish to toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and Italian seasoning if you’d like.
4. Grill the veggies and bacon. Thickest ones in the hottest areas of grill. Keep an eye on them so if they are getting dark you can move them to the warming rack. The bacon will cause a bit of flames so you may need to turn the grill down a bit at first.
5. In the mean time, make the dressing and shred the cheese.
6. Add the tomatoes and romaine as you are taking the veggies off the grill. They only need about 2 minutes to be seared and you may want to turn the grill back up to Medium or so.
7. Once the vegetables, bacon and lettuce are removed from the grill, chop into smaller bite sized pieces and put dressing and cheese on top.
The Dressing:
- Basil Pesto – homemade or store bought – can even be from the freezer
- Asiago, pecorino or Parmesan cheese – shredded – for top
- A bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress on top
1. I’ve tried many variations of “dressing” for this salad, even just olive oil and salt tastes good. The best so far is mixing the pesto with a little more olive oil and balsamic vinegar tossing the salad with it.
2. Sprinkle with a little salt and shredded cheese and enjoy outside with friends and a beautiful view if possible!
Southwest Salad and Homemade Chipotle Ranch Dressing (serves 2)
I love this salad for breakfast with poached eggs. It can also be made with seasoned chicken. Be creative and add what you'd like, avocado, pico de gallo, salsa and roasted bell peppers all make great additions!
· 4 Eggs- poached or lightly fried “over easy” (with salt, pepper and fresh chives cooked in )
· salad greens and/or spinach- small bunch spread on 2 plates
· kalamata (or black) olives- 10-20 sliced
· red onion - a few thin slices on each salad
· fresh chives – a few chopped on each salad
1. make salad dressing below (can make this ahead of time or the day before)
2. chop toppings for salad
3. poach or lightly fry eggs “over easy” with fresh chives, a little salt and pepper
4. spread greens on plates and top with hot eggs, then the other toppings
5. drizzle with the chipotle dressing and serve immediately with a side of buttered toast
Easy Homemade Chipotle Ranch Dressing
½ - ¾ c. plain whole milk yogurt (if it is not whole and it’s thinner, you may need to omit the water/milk below)
¼ c. mayo
1/8 c. water or non-dairy milk
1/8 c. olive oil
2-3 T. balsalmic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt (to taste really)
a few cranks of freshly ground pepper (to taste)
10-15 fresh chives (chopped finely)
2 cloves fresh garlic (chopped finely)
½ tsp. ground chipotle chili pepper (this really makes the flavor)
½ tsp. dried dill (1 T. fresh is best)
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ T. fresh Jalepenos- minced (optional if you’d like it more spicy- I didn’t add these)
*Mix all these ingredients together in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to mix. You may also put them in a blender or food processor to mix. Add more spices or salt if needed to taste. Add more liquids if needed to thin. Allowing it to sit for a few minutes or even overnight mixes the flavors even more.
I love this salad for breakfast with poached eggs. It can also be made with seasoned chicken. Be creative and add what you'd like, avocado, pico de gallo, salsa and roasted bell peppers all make great additions!
· 4 Eggs- poached or lightly fried “over easy” (with salt, pepper and fresh chives cooked in )
· salad greens and/or spinach- small bunch spread on 2 plates
· kalamata (or black) olives- 10-20 sliced
· red onion - a few thin slices on each salad
· fresh chives – a few chopped on each salad
1. make salad dressing below (can make this ahead of time or the day before)
2. chop toppings for salad
3. poach or lightly fry eggs “over easy” with fresh chives, a little salt and pepper
4. spread greens on plates and top with hot eggs, then the other toppings
5. drizzle with the chipotle dressing and serve immediately with a side of buttered toast
Easy Homemade Chipotle Ranch Dressing
½ - ¾ c. plain whole milk yogurt (if it is not whole and it’s thinner, you may need to omit the water/milk below)
¼ c. mayo
1/8 c. water or non-dairy milk
1/8 c. olive oil
2-3 T. balsalmic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt (to taste really)
a few cranks of freshly ground pepper (to taste)
10-15 fresh chives (chopped finely)
2 cloves fresh garlic (chopped finely)
½ tsp. ground chipotle chili pepper (this really makes the flavor)
½ tsp. dried dill (1 T. fresh is best)
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ T. fresh Jalepenos- minced (optional if you’d like it more spicy- I didn’t add these)
*Mix all these ingredients together in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to mix. You may also put them in a blender or food processor to mix. Add more spices or salt if needed to taste. Add more liquids if needed to thin. Allowing it to sit for a few minutes or even overnight mixes the flavors even more.
Quick Quinoa Lunch Salad
By: Rachelle Price, ND
An easy to make high fiber and protein savory “salad” that is filling enough for a light meal. Feel free to omit or add what you like, experimenting with variations. A favorite variation of mine includes: lime instead of lemon, cilantro instead of parsley and cumin, avocado and black beans for a somewhat Mexican taste. This salad is also delicious with smoked salmon, cranberries, pecans and celery.
Ingredients:
Salad:
1 cup dry quinoa (any color)
2 cups water (or add more if it doesn’t look done when this is absorbed)
Pinch of sea salt
1-2 carrots, shredded
½ -1 bunch parsley, chopped
¼ - ½ cup sunflower seeds (raw or toasted)
2-4 green onions chopped
Dressing:
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
¼ -1/2 teaspoon salt
a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper
Directions:
1. Place the minced garlic with the olive oil for the dressing in a small bowl or cup and let sit while quinoa cooks in next step.
2. Cook the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa with warm water and drain through a fine strainer. Boil water in a large pot. Add salt and quinoa to boiling water. Boil 10-15 minutes (possibly a few minutes longer for red quinoa) until liquid evaporates and you see the little “wiry rings” separating from the grain (look closely if you’re not familiar with quinoa J). You may cool this before next step but you don’t need to.
3. Prepare the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients (including the oil and garlic infusion from step 1) and place in a large bowl. Add carrots, onions, seeds, and parsley. Add cooked quinoa (warm or cold) and toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Sometimes, I like to add the toasted sunflower seeds just before serving to keep them crunchy.
By: Rachelle Price, ND
An easy to make high fiber and protein savory “salad” that is filling enough for a light meal. Feel free to omit or add what you like, experimenting with variations. A favorite variation of mine includes: lime instead of lemon, cilantro instead of parsley and cumin, avocado and black beans for a somewhat Mexican taste. This salad is also delicious with smoked salmon, cranberries, pecans and celery.
Ingredients:
Salad:
1 cup dry quinoa (any color)
2 cups water (or add more if it doesn’t look done when this is absorbed)
Pinch of sea salt
1-2 carrots, shredded
½ -1 bunch parsley, chopped
¼ - ½ cup sunflower seeds (raw or toasted)
2-4 green onions chopped
Dressing:
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
¼ -1/2 teaspoon salt
a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper
Directions:
1. Place the minced garlic with the olive oil for the dressing in a small bowl or cup and let sit while quinoa cooks in next step.
2. Cook the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa with warm water and drain through a fine strainer. Boil water in a large pot. Add salt and quinoa to boiling water. Boil 10-15 minutes (possibly a few minutes longer for red quinoa) until liquid evaporates and you see the little “wiry rings” separating from the grain (look closely if you’re not familiar with quinoa J). You may cool this before next step but you don’t need to.
3. Prepare the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients (including the oil and garlic infusion from step 1) and place in a large bowl. Add carrots, onions, seeds, and parsley. Add cooked quinoa (warm or cold) and toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Sometimes, I like to add the toasted sunflower seeds just before serving to keep them crunchy.