After all of the indulgences of the holiday season – ones that I enjoyed to the fullest extent – I was looking for something for dinner that wouldn’t leave me with a plateful of guilt. You know, the kind that wakes you up in the middle of the night wondering why you ate that last cookie, or, in my case, a tin filled of that great salty snack nuts and bolts.
My search didn’t take long and ended with a recipe for winter salad from Ree Drummond, a.k.a. the Pioneer Woman. It appeared to have absolutely everything in it that I love except for, perhaps chocolate and Cheez-Its. Who needs those, anyway, when you’re looking to eat healthy?
This salad is feel-good food when you need to feel good about what you’re eating. It’s over-the-top pretty to look at as it is to eat. Nutritionists will tell you that the more colorful your food, the healthier it is. The salad gets its color from kale, pomegranate seeds and butternut squash with contrasts from tangy goat cheese and apples. If you must, you can add diced cooked chicken or shrimp, but really, this salad is perfect on its own. It’s filling; it’s sweet; it’s tart; it’s amazing.
The Ultimate Winter Salad
For the dressing:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 teaspoons whole-grain or Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the salad:
6 ounces shredded kale
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces shredded vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage and carrots
2 medium apples, cored and diced
1 1/2 cups candied pecans (see note)
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash (see note)
1/2 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
Make the dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients in a lidded glass jar or canning jar. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, and then pour it over the salad. Mix well, and set aside while making salad
For salad: Put the shredded kale in a very large salad bowl. Add lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Use your hands to massage the lemon juice and olive oil into the greens, about a minute or so. The greens should wilt slightly and take on a deep green color. Add the other shredded vegetables/greens to the bowl, as well as the chopped apple and pecans.
Add the crumbled goat cheese, butternut squash, and pomegranate arils on top. Serve. Makes 4 servings.
Notes:
– To make the candied pecans, put the pecans in a small skillet with 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup and 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard. Cook on medium-low heat until nuts are toasted and sticky, 5-6 minutes. There shouldn’t be any liquid left in the pan. Add a pinch of salt, and remove from the pan to cool before adding them to the salad.
– To make roasted butternut squash, put the squash on a small baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and a pinch or two of sea salt. Roast at 425 degrees until browned and soft, 15-20 minutes.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or annebraly.com.
Anne Braly