Friday, February 14, 2014

Easy Winter Salad

from the kitchen of Namrita O'Dea, PCG nutritionist

Photo Credit: MeggSalad.com

This salad and homemade dressing is the perfect compliment to dinner tonight, or it can be dinner itself! Recipe makes four side servings or two complete meals.

Ingredients:

4-6 cups packed kale with ribs removed
1/4 cup dried fruit (examples: raisins, cranberries, blueberries, cherries)
1/4 cup dried coconut flakes
1/4 cup raw walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds, pistachios, or a mixture
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
(note: can also use 1/2-3/4 cup raw trail mix)

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Garlic (optional)
Salt and pepper

Optional ingredients to make it a complete meal:


For additional carbohydrates, add 1 cup cubed roasted sweet potato, regular potato, or butternut squash.

For additional protein, top the salad with 4-6 ounces cooked lean protein (chicken sausage, salmon filet, turkey burger, and grilled chicken all work well with this recipe) and/or cheese (a sprinkling of goat cheese tastes great in this salad).

Directions:

Turn on stove to medium and, in a large sautee pan or wok, heat up the coconut oil, sesame oil, and garlic until the garlic has slightly browned. Add tamari or soy sauce, then kale and coconut flakes. Toss the kale mixture until all the greens are evenly coated. When the greens just start to wilt, add the remaining ingredients (dried fruit, seeds, nuts) and thoroughly mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

Sprinkle with goat cheese and/or top with your additional protein and carbohydrate choice when you are ready to serve.