Modified Kale and Apple Salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch curly kale, spines removed and chopped

1 honey crisp apple sliced thinly

1-2 radishes thinly sliced 

Cheese - can use manchego, or gruyere- cut into small cubes

1/3 cup dried cranberries 

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp lemon zest 

2 tbl lemon juice 

1 tbl maple syrup 

2 tsp Dijon

Salt and pepper

Whisk together dressing ingredients and add to kale. Massage kale and toss in remaining ingredients.

Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel, Honeycrisp and Goat Cheese

Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel, Honeycrisp and Goat Cheese

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 2 large salads or 4 side salads 1x
• Category: Salad

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4.9 from 34 reviews

Healthy kale salad featuring shaved fennel, chopped honeycrisp apple, toasted pepitas, dried cranberries and goat cheese, tossed in a lemony dressing. This recipe yields 2 large, full-meal salads or 4 side salads.

SCALE 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 1 very large bunch of kale
• 1 medium Honeycrisp apple
• 1 medium bulb of fennel
• 3 ounces chilled goat cheese, crumbled (to yield about ⅓ cupcrumbled goat cheese)
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or chopped pecans

Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Several twists of freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To prepare the kale: Use a chef’s knife to remove the tough ribs from the kale, then discard the ribs. Chop the kale leaves into small, bite-sized pieces. Transfer the chopped kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.
2. To prepare the remaining salad ingredients: Chop the apple into small, bite-sized pieces. Use a chef’s knife or mandoline to slice the fennel as thin as possible. Transfer the prepared apple and fennel to the salad bowl. Use a fork to crumble the goat cheese over the salad. Roughly chop the cranberries and add them to the bowl.
3. To toast the pepitas: In a skillet over medium-low heat, toast the nuts, tossing frequently, until fragrant and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl to cool.
4. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until emulsified.
5. To prepare the salad: Add the cooled pepitas to the salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over the salad, just enough to lightly coat the kale once tossed (you might have some leftover dressing). Toss the salad well. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

2 medium sized eggplants, sliced into 3/4" rounds
2 zucchini, sliced into 3/4" rounds
2-3 tomatoes - diced
1 cooking onion - diced
1 red bell pepper - diced
8-10 fresh basil leaves - minced
1 teaspoon honey

Method:

• Toss eggplant and zucchini rounds lightly in olive oil and grill on bbq (I usually cook them separately, as the zucchini cooks faster than the eggplant - also keep a close eye on these if using the bbq at Island Retreat, much hotter than grill in Toronto).
• Fry onion and bell pepper in olive oil until cooked - oil will turn red.
• Cut up eggplant and zucchini into halves or quarters (depending on size), add to onion and pepper.
• Stir in tomatoes
• Add basil and honey
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with grated parmesan
• Also combines well with pesto or daal!

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

3 medium sized eggplants (make sure that the flesh is firm)
Bread crumbs (I always use Aurora Italian Style - if you use plain bread crumbs, you will 
have to add seasoning, so better to get the seasoned ones)
3 eggs
2 cans of Italian tomatoes (preferably San Marzano - but I also like Mutti brand)
3 garlic cloves
Olive oil
1 ball of mozzarella cheese - nothing fancy, just the usual Tre-Stela brand

Heat the oven to 350F - for best results, use a convection oven.

Thinly slice the eggplants lengthwise (I use a mandoline set to approx. 1/2") Note: it takes about 6-8 slices per layer in my 8" x 8" pyrex, and I usually make 3 layers, so that means I need 18-24 slices.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Set up two bowls. Crack the eggs into one bowl and beat them.  Fill the second bowl with bread crumbs.  Dip the eggplant slices individually, and then dredge in bread crumbs - coat both sides.

Place breaded slices in baking tray, and bake until the slices are browned (this usually takes 10-15 minutes, but you may have to experiment with time and temperature - basically, you want the slices to be thoroughly cooked through and crisp on the outside - don't over-bake). Note:  pre-cooking the slices reduces the amount of cooking time of the finished dish.

While the first slices are baking, start making the sauce.  I use a very simple sauce: put a colander inside a larger bowl.  Pour the canned tomatoes into the colander and break them apart.  Allow the tomato juice to collect inside the bowl and put aside.  Chop the garlic.

Heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick pan, add the tomato pulp and stir until the mixture separates, and you can see the oil.  Add the tomato juice and garlic and simmer for about 15-20 minutes (the sauce will thicken slightly - not too much, it needs to be runny in order to coat the eggplant).

Grate the cheese.

Ladle a small amount of sauce into the bottom of the pyrex - enough to coat it.  Add the first layer of eggplant, top with tomato sauce and about 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat two more times.

Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes - until cheese is browned