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.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Welcome to my new favourite healthy weeknight meal. Yes, macaroni and cheese really can be made healthy and still taste just as good as it's boxed counterpart. All you need to do is make this simple creamy vegan cheese sauce that's dairy-free, soy-free, and packed with loads of nutritional bonuses. Like nutritional yeast. It's full of vitamins B6 + B12, Thiamin, and Riboflavin. Plus it packs an excellent boost of protein and fiber. Just 2 tablespoons has 8g of protein and 4 grams of fiber.

Finger. Licking. Good.

Now this doesn't taste like real cheese but it's pretty darn tasty if I do say so. The sauce is made up of a handful of ingredients that starts out with sautéed onions and garlic for the ultimate flavour boost. I found that adding sautéed onions and garlic deepened the flavour of the "cheese" sauce in a wonderful way. It was so tasty!

Next up we toss the onions and garlic into a high-speed blender and add nutritional yeast, soaked cashews, tomato paste, smoked paprika, turmeric and a small handful of other ingredients. I don't think it's necessary but if you prefer you can use unsweetened almond milk in place of water in the sauce.

Oh cashew-vegan cheeze sauce how I love you. This sauce cannot only be added to macaroni but many other things as well. Try adding it to: 

• Mashed potatoes (russets, yukon, red, etc.)
• Quinoa and rice dishes 
• Casseroles
• Sandwiches
• Veggies of all kinds including steamed or roasted (broccoli, cauliflower and green beans are excellent!)

There are many options!

The sauce makes enough for about 4 generous servings of pasta (I used brown rice elbow macaroni).

Now I'm not going to tell you this is a recipe for old-fashioned mac n'cheese, because it's definitely not that. What I can tell you is that it's absolutely delicious and just as comforting. Besides you could totally serve this to a non-vegan and they'd love it! It's so satisfying you may even convert them over.

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 3 to 4 hours, preferably overnight, and drained
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons water
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of sea salt
• 12 ounces macaroni or small shell pasta (gluten-free if needed)
• Fresh thyme or red pepper flakes (to garnish)

Optional add-ins

• roasted broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, spinach, or peas

Instructions

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for a few more minutes on low.

In a high speed blender, puree the sautéed onions and garlic with the cashews, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, tomato paste, paprika, water, nutritional yeast, turmeric, a pinch of cayenne, and a pinch of salt. Makes about 2 1/4 cups of sauce.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Stir in the sauce, adding the pasta water as needed to thin the sauce and make it creamy. If you're adding any roasted or sauteed veggies, this would be the time to do it.

Serve hot garnished with fresh thyme or a pinch of red pepper flakes.