Thursday Thoughts Ed. 79 - The Salad Days

7:56 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

I love veggies and salads, this we all know. There are a couple versions that I love best and regularly accompany me to picnic and bbq parties. A delightfully spicy mix of black beans and kale make a great side for burgers, beef, turkey or veggie. Farro is a fun, nutty whole grain that adds depth to a savory side served with curried chicken kabobs or steak. My version of a superfood salad with nuts, blue berries, crasins and, yup, more kale tastes simple summery with grilled salmon. Eat your veggies!

Carib-bean Salad

I quite like the taste of raw kale. But, if you need a little help with that try steaming it for a few minutes to make it more tender.

2-3 cups thinly chopped kale (with or without stems)

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1 can black beans (rinsed)

1/3 cup sliced red onion

1 tsp salt to taste

2 TBSP lime juice - fresh squeezed

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili (or more!)

1 TBSP olive oil

This one I've been making for long I do it from memory. I'm sure I once had a recipe but now I just put it all together in a bowl, whirl it around until kale is coated. then whirl a little more to soften it up. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan

The nutty flavor of farro balances nicely with the salty cheese and tart berries. Plan ahead as farro need an overnight soak. You can always substitute spelt, or wheat berries.

2 cups farro

3/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 cup red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped parsely

1/3 cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette - to taste

1 cup shaved parmesan cheese, divided

Soak the farro in a big bowl of water overnight, 12 hours atleast. Drain.

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a roiling boil. Stir in drained farro and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Steam asparagus for about 3 minutes until it brightens. Drain and then immerse in ice bath to stop cooking. Once its cold, drain, and chop.

In a big bowl add the farro, asparagus, tomatoes, nuts, berries and herbs. Drizzle the vinaigrette over top and sprinkle half of the cheese, toss it up. Serve with the rest of the parm on top.

Superfood Salad

This one is great with raw kale. But again, a little steam won't hurt if you must:-)

3-4 cups chopped kale

1-2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup blueberries

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup dried cranberries, or cherries, or blueberries.

1 cup shredded carrots

optional 1-2 TBSP sunflower seeds

I just toss this all up in a big bowl too. Mix up some apple cider vinegar, (3 TBSP) olive oil (2 TBSP)and pomegranate juice (1-2 TBSP) and toss with the salad mixture. In a pinch use some of Newman's Own Balsamic Vin dressing and a little salt and pepper.