Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Winter Salads You Will Love

It might be winter and there might not be as wide of a variety of fresh local vegetables, but don’t let that stop you from eating delicious salads made with fresh ingredients available during this season.  Hope you will enjoy these tasty healthy options for winter salads! 

Yummy Salad for Two

(Low carb)

3 cups torn kale leaves, tightly packed

1 small endive

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

1/3 cup pecans

¼ cup dried cranberries, craisins

Lightly steam the kale for 1-2 minutes, or until wilted.  Drain.  Set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.  

Remove the out leaves from the endive.  Slice the endive in thin slices. 

Take a serving plate and add the steamed kale, sliced endive, blue cheese, pecans, and the dried cranberries.  

Serve immediately.  You can drizzle salad dressing, like a vinaigrette, or a good quality olive oil on top.  Serves 2. 

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt Sauce and Pomegranate

(Adapted from Food & Wine)

Canola oil, for frying

2 medium heads cauliflower, cored and cut into 1 ½ inch florets, about 6 cups

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 ½ cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 cup fresh herbs and greens, like endive, dill and chives

¾ cup lightly toasted nuts, like almonds or pistachios

¼ cup pomegranate arils

Pour canola oil to a depth of 1 inch into a large skillet.  Heat over medium-high heat until a deep dry thermometer registers 350 degrees.  Working in batches, fry cauliflower until just golden and tender, about 3 minutes per batch.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to paper towels to drain, season with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt.  For this recipe, I roasted the cauliflower instead of frying it, roast at about 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until desired doneness.  

While cauliflower drains, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic in a medium bowl.  Season yogurt mixture with remaining ½ teaspoon salt.  Chill at least 15 minutes or up to an hour, remove and discard crushed garlic before using. 

To serve, arrange cauliflower on a platter, spoon yogurt mixture over top.  Garnish with herbs and greens, mixed nuts, and pomegranate arils.  Serves 8.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

5 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced

½ cup toasted almonds

½ cup pomegranate seeds

Shredded Parmesan for topping

In a medium bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper until combined. Add Brussels sprouts and toss until coated.

Let sit, tossing occasionally, at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Fold in almonds and pomegranate seeds. Top with Parmesan.

Serves 6, each serving contains; Calories 239, Fat 18g., Carbohydrates 10g., Fiber 7g., Protein 7g.

Cara Cara Oranges and Kale Salad

(Cara Cara oranges have been all the rage this year)

For the Salad

1 bunch kale, stems removed and sliced very thinly

2 medium Cara Cara oranges, peeled and sliced

½ cup fennel bulb very thinly sliced; I have made it without this before

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cup flaked almonds, toasted

For the Dressing

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons Cara Cara orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper

Prepare the vinaigrette ingredients first to allow the flavors to blend.  Whisk all ingredients together and let stand while preparing the salad.  

Toast the flaked almonds by heating them gently in a skillet.  No oil required.  Heat until they begin to brown then remove the skillet from the heat.  They will continue to roast in the hot pan. 

Chop the kale very finely and massage with a little bit of the vinaigrette to tenderize it.  

Slice the oranges and the fennel, grate the cheese and arrange in a serving bowl or in individual dishes.  Drizzle with more vinaigrette and top with nuts or seeds.  

Serves 4, each serving contains; Calories 343, Fat 26g., Carbohydrates 21g., Fiber 3g., Protein 10g.

Kiwi Cucumber Salad

For the Salad

1 head butter lettuce, or other greens of your choice

2 kiwi fruit

½ long cucumber

1/3 cup walnut pieces

1 handful of fresh mints sprigs

For the Dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

¼ cup rice vinegar

2 teaspoons local honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash, dry and tear lettuce leaves and arrange in a serving dish or on 4 salad plates.  Thinly slice cucumber and pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.  Add to salad.

Peel and slice 2 kiwi fruit and add to the salad.  Top with walnut pieces and fresh mint leaves.  

Drizzle with lime vinaigrette just before serving.  

Serves 4, each serving contains; Calories 321, Fat 24g., Carbohydrates 26g., Fiber 5g., Protein 3g

Easy Spinach Salad

For the salad

1 ½ cups fresh spinach

1 crisp apple, thinly sliced

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions

For the Dressing

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon local honey

1 clove garlic, grated

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Topping

1 cup candied pecans

2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

1/3 cup craisins 

Salt and Pepper 

For the Candied Pecans

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups raw pecan halves

For the Salad, In a large bowl, place the spinach, apple, and onion.  Add some of the dressing and toss to combine.  

For the Dressing, In a small bowl whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, mustard, salt, and several grinds of pepper.  

Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified.  

For the Candied Pecans, Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium skillet over medium heat, stir together the brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt.  Cook until the sugar dissolves and bubbles, about 1 minute.  Add the pecans and cook, stirring until coated, another 1-2 minutes.  

Spread the pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet and set aside to cool and crisp.  Store in an airtight container.  

To complete the salad, add the pecans, goat cheese, and dried cranberries and gently toss.  Add more dressing as desired.  Season to taste and serve.  Serves 4.  

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