This salad is very good, full of many flavors and antioxidants. Just look at all those beautiful colors. Add sliced chicken breast to make it a meal rather than a side dish.
This is a fool proof favorite at my house. It is a great dressing as all the flavors are amazing. The white balsamic vinegar adds a touch of sweetness, but as always you can use any vinegar. Balsamic, champagne, or apple cider vinegar would all taste good. I love to add toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds to this salad, as it adds a little crunch.
It is very important to marinate this rainbow salad, to help break down the kale to make it digestible. This salad is a powerhouse of nutrients with kale definitely being a superstar. Kale is loaded with calcium, iron, and vitamins A,C, and vitamin K. It has 10 times more lutein and zeaxanthin (eye protective carotenoids) than broccoli. Topping it with yellow beets provides you with folate and betaine as well as potassium to protect your heart.
¼ c. dried cranberries (sweetened with fruit juice)
2 T. raw pumpkin seeds
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t. oregano
pinch cayenne pepper
½ t. salt
pepper to taste
1 t. dijon mustard
½ t. raw honey
Instructions
Cook beets in a little water and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until soft, remove from oven and cool.
Take chopped kale and put in large plastic bag.
Dice beets and tomatoes and set aside.
Mix olive oil, lemon juice garlic, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, mustard and honey together. Use an emulsion blender if available.
Add dressing to bag of kale. Massage the bag with the kale and dressing. This helps break down the kale. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or overbite.
Just before serving, add the tomatoes, cranberries, beets and raw pumpkin seeds.
Love my little helper! Crispy fermented dill pickles are so easy to make. I love buying the cucumbers at the farmers’ market, but be sure to look for the pickling rather than the slicing variety. I like to make my pickles whole so they don’t become mushy. Pickles taste great on their own, in salads, or on a burger. Fermented pickles are rich in natural probiotics which introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system and improving your immune system. Eating fermented foods will help your body absorb more nutrients from the foods you eat.
Basically, all you need is a sharp knife, wide mouth quart mason jar with two part lid, 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, cutting board, and your ingredients.
Wash cucumbers well, cut and place in jar. Cucumbers should fit tightly. It may be helpful to put the jar on its side to pack the cucumbers.
Combine remaining ingredients into measuring cup and mix. Pour over cucumbers. Add more water if necessary to cover the cucumbers.
The top of the liquid should be 1 inch below the top of the jar and it should cover all of the cucumbers. Tighten the lid.
Cover loosely with a towel in case there is overflow and allow to sit at room temperature, undisturbed for at least 3-4 days. Check to see if the vegetables are “done” by pressing down the center of the lid. When the lid is tight, the process is finished.
Place in the refrigerator. Pickles can be stored for 6-8 months.
This is a wonderful summer salad and can be made with or without cheese. Although the best tasting mozzarella cheese is from buffalo not cow. This cheese has a softer texture, is sweet and delicate and packed in water. In Italy it is called a caprese insalata. The salad is fresh, colorful, rich in antioxidants and vitamins C and A. This is one of a handful of recipes with dairy.
