salad Archives - Page 4 of 6 -

September 4, 2014

Beets, Shallots, and Feta with Mixed Greens

With my recent love for kale salads, I often forget how nice a simple bowl of mixed greens can be. Add some roasted beets, sautéed shallots, creamy crumbly feta, a drizzle of balsamic dijon dressing, and the bowl of mixed greens becomes absolutely divine. Beets, shallots, and feta with mixed greens is one of my favorite salads to serve when we have company for dinner.

If I’m planning on this salad for the evening meal, I try to make the beets and shallots much earlier in the day and then chill them in the refrigerator. Covering the beets with foil and adding just a little water when baking creates tender and moist beets while still retaining their flavor and nutrients. So much of building a salad is personal preference so use your own discretion when it comes to the quantities listed in the recipe. I enjoy the salty flavor of feta, but too much is overpowering to me so I tend to use less feta than a restaurant might perhaps use. I especially like the beets with the balsamic dijon dressing so sometimes I use more beets and less greens. Assembling salads can be such a beautiful thing.

Beets, Shallots, and Feta with Mixed Greens

Ingredients

Salad

3 medium beets, cleaned and scrubbed
2 cups sliced shallots, about 5 medium shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces mixed greens
½ cup crumbled feta

Dressing

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of ground black pepper

Instructions

Salad

Preheat oven to 375. Fill a shallow baking dish with ¼-inch of water. Place the beets in the pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Insert a knife to test for doneness. If knife does not go in easily, bake for another 15-20 minutes and check again. Allow beets to cool completely.
Peel the cooled beets and cut into ¼-inch slices. Cut each slice into quarters and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, salt, and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, until shallots are softened and start to turn golden. Allow shallots to cool completely.
In a large serving bowl, layer the mixed greens with the shallots, beets, and feta. Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad, tossing until salad is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Dressing

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

August 14, 2014

Kale Salad with Toasted Buckwheat and Parmesan

This kale salad with toasted buckwheat and parmesan has a really lovely combination of flavors and textures, thanks to the crunchy buckwheat, salty parmesan, sweet raisins, nutty pine nuts, and bright lemon dressing. I have always loved the crunch that croutons add to salads, but I often skip them since they add little nutritional value. Toasted buckwheat is the perfect nutritious alternative to croutons and adds a refreshing crunchiness throughout the salad. And it’s gluten-free for all of my gluten-free friends out there!

Unlike other kale salads, this one is best eaten soon after it is prepared. After several hours, the buckwheat absorbs some of the moisture from the dressing and loses its crunch. If you would like to prepare it ahead of time, simply leave out the buckwheat and add it right before serving. I hope you love this salad as much as I do.

Kale Salad with Toasted Buckwheat and Parmesan

Ingredients

½ cup raw buckwheat groats*
2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch of lacinato kale (8-9 ounces)
1 ounce grated parmesan or pecorino, about ⅓ cup
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the buckwheat groats and stir often until buckwheat becomes golden and toasty, about 4-5 minutes. Allow buckwheat to cool completely.
Remove kale leaves from the tough stalks and chop the kale into shreds. Toss with the parmesan, raisins, pine nuts, and ¼ cup of the toasted buckwheat.
Whisk together the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad, tossing until salad is evenly coated. This is best served the same day it is prepared.

Notes

inspired by Smitten Kitchen and Bon Appetit

*This recipes makes double the amount of buckwheat needed for the salad. I usually make a double batch and save half of it for another day. If you would prefer not to do this, simply use half the amount of buckwheat, olive oil, and garlic when toasting the buckwheat.

July 17, 2014

Fruit, Nut, and Honey Yogurt Bowl

Lately I’ve been trying to soak up these wonderful days of summer with eating as much fresh fruit as possible. One of my favorite childhood memories is going to eat at Aladdin’s overlooking the Erie Canal in upstate New York and ordering their Fruit & Nut Plate. The simplicity of fresh fruit, layered with plain yogurt and walnuts, and then drizzled with honey was so refreshing on a hot summer day. Since I no longer live near that restaurant, I started assembling my own Fruit, Nut, and Honey Yogurt Bowl. The honeyed yogurt transforms the plain fruit and nuts into such a treat. We often have this along with some cheese and crackers for a simple and beautiful lunch.

Fruit, Nut, and Honey Yogurt Bowl

Ingredients

Various fruit such as:
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Strawberries
Grapes
Kiwi
Bananas
Blueberries

Plain Yogurt

Honey
Walnuts

Instructions

Cut fruit into bite-size pieces and arrange neatly in a bowl. Top with plain yogurt and walnuts. Drizzle with honey.