Kale salad with dried cranberries, manchego, slivered almonds and lemon
I have to say I love the simplicity of this salad. It is always a big crowd pleaser!
I use Lacinto (also known as dinosaur kale because of the scaly texture of the leaves) wash, dry and slice the kale thin. Top with dried cranberries, you could also use golden raisins or currants. Add shaved Manchego cheese, lemon zest and slivered almonds. The salad is great topped with grilled chicken. Dress with my lemon vinaigrette.
Arugula salad with roasted figs, pomegranate seeds and goat cheese
This is one of my fall favorite salad combinations. The roasted figs are so delicious with the tartness of the pomegranate seeds. Place sliced figs on nonstick foil cut side up and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of honey. Roast in a 450° oven for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly caramelized.
Place arugula on the bottom of a shallow bowl and top with the roasted figs, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese and Marcona almonds, you can omit the almonds if you have nut allergies. You can always use pumpkin seeds or flax and hemp seed for added protein and texture as an alternative. This pairs well with my the balsamic vinaigrette.
Roasted acorn squash, applewood smoked bacon and pumpkin seeds salad
I absolutely love the flavor of these components in the fall. I simply take acorn squash which I slice with the skin on and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. I roast at 425° on nonstick foil for 15 minutes until slightly caramelize. I place the bacon on a separate sheet pan on nonstick foil and the bacon will take about 25 minutes in the oven at same temperature. You can always use pre-cooked bacon to make this even easier for you.
I like using escarole lettuce, it is such an under used lettuce. It is crunchy and has a wonderful texture and is slightly bitter which pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of the roasted squash and the saltiness of the bacon. You can use any type of lettuce or greens that you like. Arugula would be great with this as well as baby jem spinach or hearts of Romaine.
Top with toasted pumpkin seeds for extra protein and texture! This goes well with my honey Dijon salad dressing.
Apple, radish beet, heirloom carrot salad
I love the crunchiness and texture of this fall salad, the flavors are bright and makes for a beautiful presentation. Place thinly sliced radish, apples, endive, beets and heirloom carrots and a large shallow bowl. I use a mandolin to slice most of the ingredients so they can be very thin, I also use a potato peeler to shave the carrots for a thin and ribbon appearance.
This is delicious with my honey Dijon dressing as well as my lemon vinaigrette.
Enjoy!!!