Monday, July 22, 2013

Kale, Sweet Potato, Red Pepper Salad with Currants

 
What a great salad or side dish.  Full of healthful ingredients - kale, sweet potatoes, red peppers and onions, you'll feel like you're really nourishing your body. 

This is a great lunch to pack for work.  You can eat it at room temperature to make sure all the flavours come through.  If you'd like, try adding a handful of pecans or some cubed chicken.   For a vegetarian variation, why not add some quinoa?

Any way you cut it - or rather, cook it - it's all good!

Now apologies that I didn't take my usual ingredient photo.  Completely overlooked it.  Oh, well.  I am sure we'll just plod along very nicely without it!

Here's what you'll need:
4 C heaping, sweet potato cubes, roasted
8 C packed bite sized pieces of kale
1 medium red pepper, large dice
1/3 C diced red onion
1/3 C currants

Dressing:
1/4 C olive oil
2 T white wine vinegar
1/2 T Dijon mustard
1/2 T maple syrup
Lots of black pepper
Salt to taste
Mix in a jar and shake vigorously before adding.
To roast sweet potatoes...
Cut into ~ 1 inch cubes.
Toss with ~ 2 T olive oil.
Roast on a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes
in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.
Remove kale leaves from stems.  Rip into bite sized pieces. 
Rinse and drain.  It's OK if it's damp.
Spread on same cookie sheet from sweet potatoes.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
The leaves will have crispy edges and more tender centres.

Meanwhile, put 1 T olive oil in a saucepan.
Over medium high heat,  sauté onion for about 2 minutes.
Add red pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes.
When everything is cooled, place in a large bowl.
Add currants and dressing.
Toss thoroughly to mix through.
I recommend using nature's utensils - your hands!
What a great, healthy main salad or side dish.
Chock full of vitamins and antioxidants...
You'll just feel better for eating it!


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