I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. Mine was quiet, and I’m looking forward to getting back to a regular routine. My son and I have been talking about trying to eat a little cleaner in the New Year. It’s amazing that from a young age we are taught what is desirable to eat and what is good for us, and they are rarely the same thing. I love to eat healthy foods and vegetables are my favorite, but it’s so easy to get distracted by plates of pasta and cookies this time of the year.
Now that the bulk of the holidays are behind us, I find myself craving something lighter and fresher to combat the indulgence that Christmas brings. Salads are always what I turn to when I want to feel a bit lighter and get my system back on track. My son is a typical teenager that would be happy to subsist on nothing but pizza and cheeseburgers, but he realizes that what he eats affects his performance and he’s showing real interest in making better choices. He has always turned his nose up at vegetables but has been willing to try whatever I put in front of him. Salads are a hard sell but as long as I promise to add some kind of protein in the form of chicken or shrimp he’s willing to give it a try. This salad was a bit of a stretch for him, but he actually enjoyed it and said that he would be okay with eating it a few days a week.
Shredded salads are my favorite way to get a lot of vegetables into my diet, and I love trying new combinations and I would be lost without my favorite kitchen tool, my mandolin. Kale, kohlrabi and beets make up the base of the salad, but the star of the show is the lemony mint and pistachio dressing. I’ve been trying to get into the habit of taking the time to eat what will make me feel great and that I’ll truly enjoy. This salad is full of antioxidants and lots of fresh veggies that help banish bloat, aid digestion, and fight inflammation. I could eat a variation of this every day of the week. If you want a non-vegetarian version some shredded chicken or simple grilled shrimp would also make a great addition.
What are some of your favorite ways to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet? If you try this salad, I’d love to hear what you think of it. Post a comment, or post a pic and tag it #scalingback on Instagram!
- Pistachio dressing:
- ½ cup pistachios, shelled
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves (packed)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- ½ teaspoon honey
- For the salad:
- 1 bunch Lacinto kale
- 2 medium beets (about 3 cups shredded)
- 2 small kohlrabi (about 3 cups shredded)
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
- Place the pistachios, mint, rice vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey and water into a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired or add a bit more lemon juice.
- Remove the inner ribs from the kale, roll the leaves lengthwise and cut into fine ribbons and place into a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the dressing and with your fingers work the dressing into the kale squeezing the leaves between your fingers to break down the fibers a bit.
- Peel the beets and kohlrabi with a vegetable peeler then use a mandolin with a julienne attachment to finely shred the beets and kohlrabi and add to the bowl along with the kale and mint. Add the rest of the dressing and toss gently to combine. Top with the chopped pistachios and some additional mint.
