Kale and Peach Salad

Happy 2016!

As someone who likes to go to bed earlier than most (let's say the elderly), I'd like to give myself a pat on the back for making it to midnight (plus a few hours past) without falling asleep standing up. How about a round of applause, or maybe a small golf clap?

I would like to thank caffeine and sugar for this "achievement".

So to start the year off on the right foot I've got a tasty kale and peach salad for you today.

This post is sponsored by the California Cling Peach Board.

I've already shared a number of salads on the site because I love them so much.

To recap, here's my remake of Whole Foods Detox Salad, Lemony Quinoa Salad, Quinoa with Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries & Pepitas, Millet with Butternut Squash & Kale, Pear and Squash Salad with Clean Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Quinoa Veggie Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

That's a lot of salads. But, when it comes to lunch, light dinners, and side dishes you really can't beat them.

Now considering how gaga I am for peaches, looking back I cannot believe I don't have any salads that feature them! So I'm about to remedy that with these canned California cling peaches. The peaches are smooth, juicy and bursting with delicious ripe peach flavour.

My goal was to make a refreshing salad that is satisfying and fresh, full of nutrition, and perfect for the winter months when your body is craving some sunshine ripened fruit. Hello Vitamin A and C! This is an every-day-of-the-week type of salad.

Fresh fruit often makes the most sense in terms of taste, texture and nutritional value. But if it's off-season and you're craving peaches, there's nothing to lose by eating them canned. What many people don't know is that canned fruit often retains more nutrients than fresh because it's picked fully ripe and then packaged right away. Fresh fruit, on the other hand, has to travel long-distances in the winter month from farm to your kitchen table.

Most canned peaches in Canada are actually California cling peaches. They are picked and packed in their own juices, usually within 24 hours to ensure they retain their appearance, texture, flavour and nutritional content.

This recipe is simple. It starts by giving the kale a nice little massage with a drizzle of olive oil and some lemon juice. Simply squeeze the kale with your fingertips and release it, and repeat this for about 2 minutes. Massaging the leaves before assembling the salad makes them soft and tender, and reduces the bitter taste that kale is so popular for.

After the kale is ready to go, it gets tossed with a tasty dressing made from honey, olive oil, lemon juice, and freshly ground black pepper.

Then it all gets finished off with those juicy canned peaches and some toasted pepitas to add some crunch and round out all the flavours. Pepitas also add good fibre and healthy fats. Perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. You could also add some leftover chicken and goat cheese. I highly recommend the goats cheese!

Kale and Peach Salad 

(Serves 5-6)Print This Recipe

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, stalks removed and discarded, leaves torn small

1 large lemon, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

pinch of sea salt

2 teaspoons honey

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups (340g) California canned cling peaches in fruit juice, drained and chopped

1 small English cucumber (about 285g), sliced thinly

1/4 cup (50g) toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeeds)

Directions

In a large bowl, add the kale, half the lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons), a drizzle of oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Massage the kale, squeezing with your hands, until it starts to wilt and soften a bit, about 2 minutes. Set aside, and make the dressing.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Pouring in a slow stream, add the ¼ cup of olive oil while whisking until dressing forms.

Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the peaches and cucumber. Toss gently and top with toasted pepitas. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1/5 of recipe     Calories: 201     Fat: 13.8g     Saturated fat: 2.3g     Carbohydrates: 15.7g     Sugar: 10.9g     Sodium: 121g     Fibre: 2.2g     Protein: 5g

Happy Friday!

Today’s post is sponsored by the California Cling Peach Board. Product opinions are always my own. If I didn’t love it, you wouldn’t be hearing about it. Thank you for supporting the occasional sponsored post that helps fund all the deliciousness I share here.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Truffles

It's truffle time. You ready?

What a funny question. Of course you're ready.

Today we're talking about these peanut butter chocolate protein truffles you see below. It's been a while since I've posted so let's get right to it.

I'm a fan of bite sized everything - from maple pecan protein bars and raw cacao vanilla energy bites, to no-bake pumpkin pie tarts and these truffles. The fun thing about these is that they can go straight from the jar and into your lunch box - or your into mouth. Plus they make a pretty little addition to a Christmas goodie tray for any get-together. 

This is a fairly simple recipe. You'll be able to tell by the consistency of the dough whether or not you need to add more wet or dry ingredients. When adding the almond milk make sure you start with 2 or 3 tablespoons and then mix, you may not need the fourth tablespoon. The dough will be soft and pliable. If you don't have PB2, you could substitute peanut flour, but I highly reccommend trying PB2, as it's nice and low in fat and gives the truffles a great taste and texture.

These truffles won't make you feel sluggish or give you a sugar crash. No one enjoys feeling like a big bloated mess. Thanks to some wholesome ingredients, these will help you feel light and energized.

I used a base of North Coast Naturals chocolate vege pro 7 protein powder and powdered peanut butter (PB2). Powdered peanut butter is low in calories and fat. It's natural peanut butter without the added hydrogenated oil. And these only have 4 grams of sugar per truffle. No sugar crash here!

Now watch them disappear almost as quickly as they were made.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Truffles

by Jennifer Trennum

Keywords: food processor no-bake dessert snack dairy-free gluten-free grain-free protein vegan sugar-free protein powder almond milk cacao powder peanut butter energy bites

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Ingredients (makes 8 truffles)

For the Truffles

• 30g (1 scoop) North Coast Naturals Vege Pro-7 Organic Vanilla Protein (or 1/4 cup of your favourite vanilla protein powder)
• 1/4 cup Chocolate PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1.5 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp caramel extract
• 3-4 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• For the Truffles

• 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter (about 2g per truffle)
For the Truffles

• 40g Extra Dark Chocolate

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, mix truffle ingredients together until they form a dough. You can do this either in a food processor or by hand.

Divide dough evenly into 8 pieces and roll into balls; about 1 teaspoon per ball. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. One at a time, push your thumb into the middle of each ball, or use a knife, to pry a hole for the filling. Fill the centre of each with peanut butter, pinch closed and roll back into a ball.

Melt the chocolate. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. If using the microwave: place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. I like to use a liquid measuring cup. Melt in 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Let the warm chocolate sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly before dipping.

Dip each truffle in the chocolate and place back onto the baking sheet. Top truffles with a peanut, a sprinkle of course sea salt, or a pinch of cocoa powder, if desired.

Allow chocolate to completely set in the refrigerator before serving; about 30 minutes.

Nutritional Info

per truffle: 90cals, 7g carbs, 5g protein and 5g fat.

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