kale! that's right, there is kale on modest marce. it took me a while to get on the kale train, i found it difficult to eat raw. BUT once it is added amongst some of my other favourite ingredients in a fancy winter salad, it tastes really good. i love putting a variety of ingredients in my salad. sometimes i go a little overboard because that is what makes a salad fun & not dreadful! if the potent blue cheese scares you (i love my stinky cheese), you can use a milder goat cheese. warning: the candied nuts are super addicting. the left overs make for a perfect snack, so while you're at it you might want to double the recipe for lots of leftover snacking! lastly, to turn this salad into a dinner worthy meal, toss in a grilled chicken breast.
ingredients
for the salad
- 1 bunch of green kale, chopped
- 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup candied nuts (see recipe below)
for the honey dijon balsamic dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon or grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic glove, grated
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- salt & pepper, too taste
for the candied nuts
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- 1 cup whole walnuts
- 1 cup whole pecans
directions
for the salad: fill a large salad bowl with kale. top with blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, red onion, apples & candied nuts. toss in desired amount of dressing!
for the dressing: whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, oregano, salt & pepper until well combined. store left over in sealed jar & keep at room temperature.
for the candied nuts: preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a sauce pan over medium-low heat add sugar, honey, water, salt & cinnamon. bring to a boil & cook for a couple minutes to ensure the sugar has dissolved. remove from heat & stir in walnuts & pecans. transfer nuts to a lined cookie sheet & bake for 10-15 minutes, tossing in between. remove from heat & let nuts cool to room temperature. store left over in a sealed jar.
like what you see? get it here. walnut scoops | mixing bowl | oil canister | frying pan | walnut spatula | salad servers | flatware | plate
