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.

Lemony Quinoa Salad

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: quinoa is the best! It's inexpensive, versatile, gluten-free, and is a complete protein that is plant-based. It also contains a ton of fiber and iron. It's a staple in my kitchen and hopefully yours too. So naturally having a simple go-to recipe for quinoa is a valuable resource.

This quinoa salad is anything but bland. It's a simple recipe, yet very tasty and very nutritious. Cucumber, lemon juice and zest keep things refreshing while the raw hemp seeds add some extra protein and healthy fat. I love this salad to bits and it's probably one of my favourite combinations that I've made to date.

All it takes is one pot and a bowl to combine everything. The best part is, it's an easy way to help you incorporate healthy eating into lunches and weeknight meals.

Just a reminder though, it's important to rinse your quinoa thoroughly before cooking it to remove the saponin, which gives the grain a bitter taste. Rinsing this bitter coating off also make the quinoa more easily digestible. The first time I ever made quinoa I neglected to do the rinse simply because I didn't know any better...and the results? Yuck!!! I remember thinking, "what am I doing wrong? Is it supposed to taste this way?" Yeah...no.

The hemp seeds are from North Coast Naturals and are 100% Canadian and raw. I've been iffy about hemp seeds in the past, but these are delicious. When I opened up the bag to take a scoop out what struck me was how incredibly fresh they were.

The taste is light and creamy from the crumbled goat cheese. I seriously can't stop eating this! It's a huge hit with everyone in my house. I can't get over this one! When I was creating this recipe I really had the idea in mind to serve it warm, but unfortunately I didn't get to devour this the day I made it. Instead I was making it for lunches to have the following day. So I reheated it to take the cold edge off and it was as good as gold. What I loved was how that little bit of heat warmed up the cucumber and slightly melted the creamy goat cheese, making it even more creamy. It reminded me of the cucumber and cream cheese tea sandwiches I would sometimes get back-in-the-day.

Lemony Quinoa Salad gluten-free, grain-free | Yields 3 servings

Print or email this recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 scallions (green onions), minced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced and quartered
• 3 tbsp raw hemp seed hearts (I used 1 scoop of North Coast Naturals)
• 1/4-1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Rinse your quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve under running water for 1-2 minutes.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a covered pot. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Do not stir while it cooks. Once cooking is finished (the water should be absorbed and the quinoa tender), remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. While the quinoa rests, grab a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine the lemon juice, zest, green onions, olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. 
4. Give the quinoa a fluff with a fork and then add it to mixing bowl with lemon dressing. Add the raw hemp seeds and sliced cucumber along with the quinoa and stir or toss to combine everything. Serve warm and top with crumbled goat cheese.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe Calories: 243 Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 25mg Fat: Sodium: 92g Carbohydrates: 26g Sugar: 2g Fiber: 4g Protein: 12g