Thursday, November 10, 2011

Green Lantern Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I am a big fan of marketing healthy food to your kids. Silly names, the right twist on a food name, or comparing a new food to something they like, can all help get some good powerful power foods in your sweet peas' bellies.

So when I decided to try and do a green salad that was raw kale, I decided to call it the Green Lantern Salad (we're big into super heroes). Then I switched gears to talk about the dressing...how it was made with apple cider (their favorite drink right now) and honey. I'm pretty sure if I said "we're having kale salad," they wouldn't have been as accepting.

Here's the thing about kale: if you find only the big leaves of kale, they are pretty tough and need to be sauteed, baked or blended into something else in order to be easily eaten. But if you find small leaves of kale, they can be eaten raw, much like spinach or other green.

Lastly, I added cut-up pear and walnuts to this salad, since that suits our tastes. Add diced red apple and cranberries and you'll have a great looking salad for the Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Green Lantern Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette


1 bunch kale
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons water (or extra oil--I use water to cut down on fat)
1-2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) dried thyme
1/4 cup walnut pieces (optional)
1 medium pear, diced

Wash the kale and remove the leaves from the center stem. Chop kale well.

In a jar with a lid, combine the apple cider, oil, water, 1 tablespoon honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and thyme. Close and put lid on tightly. Shake well. Taste--add one more tablespoon honey, if desired.

Serve greens, topped with dressing and walnuts and pear, if using.

Serves 8 as a side salad.


This salad holds up well to the dressing, and does not get soggy like lettuces and baby spinach sometimes do. If you wanted to make this for Thanksgiving, you could dress it and place it on the table or in a buffet line and it would keep well.

Life is sweet,
SPC

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