wintery caesar salad

hearty, tangy, zippy, wam

Caesar salad is my husband's favourite - he always orders it at restaurants (instead of fries please, upgrade from garden salad) and it is a dressing we make at home frequently.  It really is about the flavour for us rather than the romaine lettuce.  Sometimes though, salad for a meal in -30 C weather just doesn't seem right - you just want something warm and fulfilling - yet at the same time at our house we still crave that caesar salad taste.  This is my winter version of a caesar salad, which satisfies our tastebuds and bellies.  Oh and it's also vegetarian friendly:).

what you need:

• 1 bunch kale
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 small vidalia onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• pinch of salt and pepper
• extra parmigiano reggiano for garnish
• extra virgin olive oil for garnish

for simple caesar dressing:

• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• zest of 1 lemon, juice of 1/2 lemon
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  
2. Combine all caesar dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl and whisk to combine. Taste - adjust accordingly to your preference (e.g. if you like a tangy acidic dressing then start with 1 tbsp olive oil).  
3. Prep your veggies - tear kale leaves off the stem (bite size pieces) and wash thoroughly, then make sure to dry them off (use a salad spinner if you have one!).  Wash and peel sweet potatoes, then cut into 1/2" discs.  Thinly slice onion.
4. Toss sweet potatoes with oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Place on lined cookie sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes; be sure to flip them halfway to get both sides of the sweet potato golden brown.
5. During the last 10 minutes of baking, cook your onions and kale.  In a nonstick pan on medium-low heat with 1 tsp grapeseed oil, sauté onions until they are caramelized and softened, then add the kale.  Stir to make sure you wilt all of the kale - if it seems dry add 1 tbsp of water.  The kale should be wilted and bright deep green in about 2 minutes or so.
6. Transfer kale and onions from pan to the salad bowl with your whisked dressing. Add roasted sweet potatoes and toss everything gently together, coating all the vegetables with the dressing. 
7. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese shavings and a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the entire plate.  Enjoy!

warm kale salad

Sometimes for me it's hard to want a salad on a cold winter day, but a warm kale salad is almost as appealing as a hot bowl of soup or stew.  The kale is best steamed (to maintain optimal nutrients) but you can also boil it.  This salad has lots of different textures; crunch from the potatoes and bacon, creamy smoothness from the avocados, and lots of body with the hearty chick peas and kale.  For my vegetarian friends, just eliminate the bacon garnish:)

what you need:

• 1 whole bunch of kale
• 1 can chick peas
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 avocado
• 4 strips of bacon 
• 6 small potatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

dressing:

• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• a splash of red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

what to do:

1. Parboil the potatoes (about 10 minutes, depends on size) so that they will bake up faster in the oven.  While potatoes are cooking, mix dressing ingredients together and set aside.  Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Prep kale by washing and removing tough stems.  Roughly chop shallots and garlic, set aside.  Rinse chick peas and drain.  Drain potatoes after boiling and once they are cool enough to handle, slice them into 1/4" thick discs.
3. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, toss potato slices with olive oil, cayenne, garlic powder, and pepper.  Place potato slices on 2 lined baking sheets (don't overlap) and bake in the middle rack of the oven.  Bake until crispy and golden brown, about 20 minutes (you have to flip them half way through).  Place bacon flatly on 3rd baking sheet, and bake at the same time but they will only need about 10 minutes.
4. While potatoes are baking, steam kale for 10 minutes (it's done when it looks bright vibrant green).  Saute shallots, garlic, and chick peas on medium heat in a non-stick pan with a little bit of cooking oil.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Slice up the avocado and squeeze some lemon juice over it to prevent browning.
6. When you are ready to serve, put kale, chick peas and potatoes in a large bowl and toss gently with the dressing.  Garnish with avocado and crushed bacon slices.  Enjoy!