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.

Quinoa Veggie Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

Welcome to my new favourite meal.

This is a meal suitable for lunch or dinner. Actually, if you make this for dinner you can easily pack up the leftovers for a nutritious on-the-go lunch the next day.

This simple, zesty Italian salad dressing is about to become your new favourite dressing. I used fresh thyme, basil, and oregano as my herb base. Believe me, once you start making your own homemade salad dressings you will never want to go back to store bought again. You can make this dressing in a blender, but if you want to make things really easy, shake all the ingredients together in a jar until fully combined. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so to develop it's flavour and then you're ready to add it to the salad.

As the quinoa cooks you can pop the chickpeas into the oven to roast, then work on the dressing and chop up the broccoli and red pepper.

I would definitely call this a 30 minute meal. And after it's done cooking you can serve it up hot or let it chill in the fridge and serve cold.

By the way, you may have noticed the new photography background surface I've been using. Here it is in the works on instagram. I decided to try a little DIY a few weeks ago and make my own background. Let me just say I can't believe it took me so long to do this. I was starting to feel like my current backgrounds were getting old and I desperately wanted something new to shoot on. It was fairly easy to put together and it only cost me around $15-20. Very affordable. I used this tutorial from Ashley from The Edible Perspective to help me do it. Genius!

Now I go back and forth between super clean and white to a rustic + vintage feel with the new wood boards and old baking pans.

Quinoa Veggie Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

by Jennifer Trennum

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: main dish lunch salad gluten-free grain-free nut-free protein sugar-free vegan option vegetarian vegan bell peppers mustard goats cheese chickpeas

6070763

Ingredients (6 servings)

For the Salad

• 1 cup raw quinoa, rinsed well and drained
• 2 cups water
• 1 large broccoli heads, chopped into florets (about 2 cups)
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• feta or goat cheese, optional

For the Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (or 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder

For the Dressing

• 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced (or passed through a garlic press)
• 1/2 teaspoon each of fresh basil, oregano, and thyme, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Heat a large sauce pot over medium-high heat, and add the quinoa. Toast, stirring until the grains begin to smell fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Slowly pour in the water and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Do not stir or uncover while cooking. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes.

Roast the chickpeas: While the quinoa cooks, place garbanzo beans in a tea towel (or paper towel) and rub dry. Toss with oil, salt, and garlic powder on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes at 400˚F, then gently roll the chickpeas around in the baking sheet, then roast for another 5-8 minutes, until lightly golden.

Prepare the dressing: Place all dressing ingredients into a blender, and blend until fully combined (or shake ingredients in a mason jar). Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Combine quinoa, broccoli, red pepper, in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the roasted chickpeas and top with cheese if desired. Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days in a sealed container.

Nutritional Information

Based on 6 Serving's without cheese  Calories: 252 Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 1.5g Cholesterol: 0mg Carbohydrates: 30g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 1g Protein: 8g Sodium: 211mg

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Fresh and simple.

Happy Wednesday!

Some of my other leftover-friendly salad meals from the archives:

• Lemony Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa with Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries & Pepitas
• Whole Foods Detox Salad
• Millet with Butternut Squash and Kale