The bright spot of winter produce is most certainly citrus. So fragrant, fresh, light, and of course that beautiful burst of color is always welcome! This is The Organic Kitchen’s Citrus and Avocado Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing, and it is lovely. (This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales but your price remains the same.)
The Salad:
Tender greens, vibrant citrus, creamy avocado, pistachios and pomegranate seeds, are all drizzled with a simple to ‘whisk together’ lemon poppy seed dressing. I offer a sweetened version of this dressing as well as an unsweetened option for my Whole30 friends.
Vitamin C Just When You Need It!
Nature is amazing. It gives us what we need when we need it. This salad is loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats…just in time for cold and flu season.
Brighten Up Your Meals and Your Mood…
Sometimes winter can leave us feeling a little down. The lack of sun is no joke! One way to brighten our day is to make our meals vibrant as well as delicious. This salad certainly checks both of those boxes. Serve this healthy Paleo/Whole30 friendly salad as is, or add chicken or steak to round out the meal.
The Recipe: Citrus and Avocado Salad with lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Citrus and Avocado Salad with lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Prep Time
10mins
A colorful winter salad that is easy to make! Serve as is, or add chicken, steak or shrimp to round out the meal!
Course:
Salad
Keyword:
avocado, citrus, Paleo, salad, whole30
Servings: 4servings
Author: Linda Spiker
Ingredients
Dressing:
1/3 cupextra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoonslemon juice (use Meyer if available)
1teaspoonhoney, or a few drops of liquid stevia (whole30 please omit)
1teaspoonpoppy seeds
sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Salad:
6cupsbutter lettuce (or other tender lettuce)
2tangerines, peeled and sliced
1-2blood oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2a grapefruit, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ripe avocados, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4cup roasted, salted pistachios (chopped)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Whisk together all dressing ingredients (Whole30 omit sweetener), set aside
Shred butter leaf lettuce with hands and place on a platter. Using a paring knife, carefully peel citrus and slice thinly, set aside
Use a sharp knife to cut the avocados in half around the core, twist halves in opposite directions to pop the avocado apart. Tap the core firmly with the knife and twist to remove core. Place halves flat side down and slice. Gently remove peels and place on platter
Dress lettuce with desired amount of dressing, toss. Arrange citrus and avocados on lettuce. Sprinkle with pistachios and pom seeds
(if desired add rotisserie chicken, sliced steak or sauteed shrimp)
Drizzle with a little more dressing, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and serve!
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Happy November! The holidays are upon us, as usual my mind is blown at how fast the year went by. If you are in charge of the salad for this year’s festivities, I’ve got a brilliant one for you: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette! (This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales but your price remains the same.)
But Before We Get To The Recipe…..I Want To Give You Sneak Peek at the Remodel of Our Sundance Cabin!
Ten years ago we bought a little cabin in the woods of Sundance Utah. It had good bones, but it was…how shall I say…in need of some help. In fact, it was pretty much…orange! The ceiling, the walls, the floor, were all wood and all of that wood was stained a 1970’s orange. And if that weren’t enough, the cabinetry that wasn’t stained orange, was painted black, making a small space feel even smaller.
But it was nestled among tall pin trees…
…and sat on a beautiful stream. So we bought it!
We Lived with “The Orange” for Ten Years…
The previous owners lived across the country and basically sold us the cabin as is, with all the furniture, dishes, art, towels, etc.. still there. It was very charming, but felt dark, closed in and was definitely not our style. When my husband retired this last January, we knew we would be spending more time in Sundance to be near our children and grandchildren and decided to make the space our own. And that is when we called Alice Lane Home to help us with the remodel. We live in LA and not only needed the decorating advice but someone dependable to oversee the project and refer us to good contractors and craftsmen.
Enter Suzanne…
After talking about what we wanted and needed, Jess, the owner of Alice Lane paired us up with interior designer Suzanne Hall (or the fabulous decor babe, as I like to call her). She was a dream to work with. She took our tiny black and orange cabin and made it light and airy, opened up our dark little kitchen, and created the most beautiful bathroom, all while having to work around some less than desirable existing features, and our budget.
So Many Changes, But It Kept That “Sundance” Vibe
Our cabin is an authentic “Lincoln log” cabin, meaning it is constructed of real logs that have notches cut near the ends of each log so they can be stacked at the corners to form rooms. We wanted the ‘modern mountain home’ look without losing any of the original integrity or that magical “Sundance” feel. We LOVE the result and I think you’ll be fascinated to see just what a difference was achieved!
The Best part of This Makeover?
Is that Suzanne and the Alice Lane team made sure the cabin remained family friendly. We have a lot of kids and seven grandchildren (so far) that come to play often and have sleepovers, we don’t have to worry about destruction. Noise? Yes. Destruction, no. Every fabric, rug, surface, in the house is sticky little hands friendly! To see the complete remodel and details of the modern mountain look, click here!
Find Alice Lane Home and Alice Lane Interiors on Instagram.
Now For The Salad: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!
A fabulous salad makes every meal more special, whether it’s dinner for the family or a celebration. And this salad is festive in both color and taste.
Simple But Extraordinary!
Color, color, color! Green, orange, purple, white, and and red come together in the most lovely and tasty way.
…sweet roasted butternut squash, creamy feta, tart pom seeds, fragrant onion, and salty pecans, all placed on a bed of baby greens…
…then drizzled with a homemade, vibrant pink pomegranate vinaigrette! Truly one of my favorite fall salads.
What to Serve It With:
Whether served alone, or as part of a meal, this salad is fabulous. I love it alongside a good steak, or sometimes, I will toss in some rotisserie chicken for a simple, complete meal. But it’s also beautiful served alongside your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey.
The Recipe: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!
Tips and what you need: ovens are notoriously inconsistent, your oven may roast your butternut squash quicker or slower than mine. So keep an eye on it and remove when BNS is soft and edges are browned. Many stores have pre-peeled and cut butternut, make sure it’s super fresh or it won’t roast up well, you also may need to cut it smaller. If peeling and cutting your own squash, click here. You will need a rimmed cookie sheet, parchment paper.
Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!
Prep Time
10mins
Cook Time
40mins
Total Time
50mins
A festive, delicious, salad for fall and your holiday table!
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
American
Servings: 8servings
Author: Linda Spiker
Ingredients
1 1/2 poundsbutternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes(Store bought is fine but you may have to cut it smaller)
2 tablespoonsgood quality olive oil
sea salt and pepper, to taste
8ozbaby greens
1/2cuppomegranate seeds
1/4of one red onion, peeled and sliced or chopped
3/4cuproasted salted pecan pieces
1 cupcrumbled fetaI also love soft goat cheese in this salad
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 cuppomegrante juice (reduced to 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoonchampagne vinegar or white balsamic
juice of half a lemon
1tablespoonhoney(or a few drops liquid stevia if you prefer)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set oven rack in upper third position. Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Place prepared squash on parchment, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper
Place in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until squash is soft and edges are brown. Time may vary according to oven and altitude.
While squash cooks, prepare salad dressing:
To reduce pomegranate juice: Place a small pan on high heat and add juice
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer Allow to simmer until juice measures 1/4 cup. I measure after 15 minutes and every few minutes after that. Just be sure not to forget about it! After it is reduced to a ¼ cup, allow to cool before using.
Place 1/2 cup olive oil into a jar or measuring cup, add lemon juice, honey, vinegar, sea salt, pepper and cooled pomegranate juice, whisk until well combined, set aside
3. On a platter or large bowl, place lettuce, then add cooled butternut squash, onions, nuts, and feta
Shake dressing well and the drizzle over salad to liking, toss
Serve!
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Spring means it’s time to lighten up! This Simple Potato and Asparagus Salad is my answer to time consuming, mayo slathered potato salad. And no peeling required! (This post contains affiliate links off which I may make a commission. Your price remains the same.)
The Spuds:
For this refrehingly light potato salad you can use ‘new’ potatoes or fingerling potatoes. Both are tender and creamy and cook quickly. If you aren’t familiar with fingerling potatoes, they are small, oblong and very creamy in the center once cooked.
Using Quality Ingredients!
This recipe has very few ingredients: potatoes, asparagus, olive oil, sea salt and pine nuts. When a recipe uses so few ingredients, it is important that those ingredients are very high quality. So definitely use a good flaked sea salt and high quality extra virgin olive oil.
The Process:
To make this lovely salad simple cut potatoes in half or quarters, boil until just tender and then add asparagus to water, blanching for just a few minutes. Then toss veggies in olive oil, sea salt and pepper and garnish with pine nuts. Yup! That’s it!
Tips and what you will need: It’s is important not to overcook potatoes. Because potatoes can vary greatly in size be sure to check tenderness by frequently piercing potatoes with a fork. When the potatoes are still firm but fork goes in fairly easily it’s time to remove potatoes from water. You will need a good sea salt, astock pot, freshly ground pepper (love this battery operated grinder!) and a good quality extra virgin olive oil. (affiliate links) This recipe is gluten and dairy free.
An easy to make healthy potato salad. You can use green beans instead of asparagus if desired.
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
easy side dish recipe, party recipe, summer recipe
Servings: 6servings
Author: Linda Spiker
Ingredients
11.5 poundbag "new" white, yukon gold or 'fingerling' potatoes (cut round potatoes into quarters, fingerlings in half)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
2-3tablespoonsextra virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt, to taste
Pepper, freshly ground
3tablespoonsToasted pine nuts
Instructions
Place 1 Tablespoon salt in large pot of water and bring to a boil.
Use a knife to quarter 'new' or small yukon potatoes, or slice fingerlings in half. Carefully add potatoes to water and boil until a fork goes in fairly easily but potatoes are still firm. DO NOT OVERCOOK!! To avoid overcooking check potatoes every few minutes. Time will depend on size of potatoes but usually it's between 8-12 minutes.
When you can pierce potatoes with a fork fairly easily but potatoes are still firm, add asparagus to water and blanche for three minutes. Pour into a colander and very quickly rinse with cold water to stop cooking process or you will end up with mushy potatoes.
Note: if you happen to err on the side of under cooked potatoes, no worries! Instead of rinsing potatoes under cold water, simplt cover colander with a clean dish towel and allow potatoes to steam in their own heat for 2-3 minutes, then rinse
Pour asparagus to potatoes into a bowl, lightly drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Toss with pine nuts and serve
Voila! A simple, healthy potato salad. Enjoy! ~ Linda Spiker
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Living in Los Angeles sure has it’s perks! It feels like spring time in the winter, the beaches are a stones throw away (or an hour in traffic, but let’s not nit pick), we are completely spoiled by the year round availability of fresh produce, and I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t mention the plethora of amazing dining opportunities seemingly on every corner. Today I am more than thrilled to feature a Crispy Chicken Salad with Plum Vinaigrette recipe from one of LA’s finest eateries, my favorite Japanese restaurant, Katsuya by Starck. (This post contains affiliate links off which I may make a commission. Your price remains the same.)
Don’t Live in LA? You Can make It Yourself!
Los Angeleans are lucky to be able to enjoy four Katsuya locations: Brentwood, LA Live, Hollywood and Glendale. But no matter where you live you can experience a taste of Katsuya because today they are generously sharing their recipe for “Crispy Chicken Salad with Plum Viniagrette” with The Organic Kitchen!
I discovered Katsuya when visiting Americana at Brand in Glendale. In addition to amazing food, this location is in the hub of fabulous shopping, fountain shows, movie theaters, trolley rides, outdoor yoga, live music, and activities for the kids. Think “Disneyland meets fine dining and spectacular shopping ” and you get the picture.
A completely unique dining experience:
The food philosophy at Katsuya is a truly unique marriage of inventive Japanese classics and fresh California cuisine, always beautifully presented and melt in your mouth delicious! Award winning cocktails and one of a kind desserts have won Katsuya fans the world over. Each venue is sleekly styled by design icon Phillipe Starck creating a stunning backdrop for your dining experience.
Chef Spotlight
Of course, every one of Katsuya’s venues has very talented chefs, none more so than Chef David Lespron. Some people are just born to do what they do and Chef Lespron is one of those people. Early on David discovered his passion and skill for cooking, winning many culinary competitions throughout high school landing him a scholarship at The Art Institute of Los Angeles where he began his culinary career. He cooked his way through some of LA’s best kitchens before landing as Chef de Cuisine Katsuya’s Hollywood location. And we are so glad he did! When talent and passion combine it’s a beautiful thing.
Speaking of beautiful things, here are just some of the tantalizing creations you can expect to find on the Katsuya menu…and just a little heads up for you Sake lovers, on the last Monday of every month Katsuya hosts complimentary Sake tastings and every Monday is “Sake Monday” meaning customers receive 50% off all Sake!
And now for the recipe you have been waiting for! The Crispy Chicken Salad with Plum Vinaigrette.
The Recipe: Crispy Chicken Salad from Katsuya Restaurant
Tips and must haves: this recipe calls forcellophane noodles, fried wontons,plum sauce (affiliate links) and Suehiro vinegar, a distilled grain vinegar common in Asian cooking that is usually found on the Asian aisle of the grocery store. If you can’t find it, sub with rice vinegar.
When prepared in the restaurant the Chef uses a sous vide machine to create the most tender chicken. Knowing that most of us do not own one of these machines they have graciously offered preparation for chicken breast in this recipe. You may also use shredded rotisserie chicken or left over roasted chicken.
Start by lightly seasoning the chicken with salt and black pepper, then sear it on a grill or in a hot pan until it's golden brown on both sides.
Next, top the chicken breast with a teaspoon of butter and two tablespoons of soy sauce, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes.
In the meantime, make the plum vinaigrette. In a mixing bowl add 2 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon plum sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of grated garlic, and one teaspoon of grated ginger and whisk until blended. Then, add 2 tablespoons of Canola oil and whisk again.
Now assemble the salad. When the chicken cools, slice it and place it in a bowl. On top of the chicken, add the chopped romaine lettuce and other mixed greens, Wonton and Cellophane Noodles. Season with Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Next, pour the Plum Vinaigrette directly over the lettuce. (don't put it on the won-ton or noodles or it will get soggy) Mix it all up by hand.
To Plate: Garnish salad with chives, sesame seeds, edible orchids and microgreens to taste.
If you have been reading my blog for a while or come to my cooking classes you know salads are my thing. I love salads. They are so versatile and no matter the time of year you can toss together seasonal ingredients to make a masterpiece. This Kale Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette is the perfect example! (This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales, your price remains the same)
Preparation and helpful hints:
Kale is a hearty plant and can be a little difficult to chew if left as is. To make kale easier to eat I like to soak it in a large bowl (or the sink) for ten minutes, swishing the kale around here and there. Then I remove the ‘ribs’ (the thick, stringy center of each leaf). After drying, I stack a few leaves, roll them and thinly slice. This makes kale tender and easy to eat!
The Citrus Vinaigrette
A simple combination of lemon, lime and orange juice blended with heart healthy olive oil with a slight kick of cayenne pepper!
Add Some Fun! Pickled Grapes:
Pickling fruit and veggies is a really fun way to add flavor and texture to a salad. You need to prepare grapes a day ahead. This was my first experience with pickling and I loved it! The pickled grapes add flavor and texture to this salad.
The Recipe: Kale Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette from Three Seventy Common
This salad utilizes seasonal fruit and greens making it a fabulous salad for winter! Make the pickled grapes a day ahead.
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
easy lunch recipe, light recipe
Servings: 4servings
Author: Linda Spiker
Ingredients
Pickled Grapes:
1/2poundred grapes
1/2cupapple cider vinegar
1/4cupwater
1/3cuporganic granulated sugar
1/4 teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoonblack pepper corns
1/4teaspoonvanilla extract
Salad:
3cupskale rib removed, soaked and dried (see instructions in blog post above)
1/4cupfresh red currants (if unavailable sub with blueberries)
1/4cupfresh red grapessliced in half
1/4cuppickled grapessee link above
1/4of a gala apple, 1/4 inch julienne (like matchsticks)
6fresh figsthinly sliced
pinchsea salt
pinchpepper
2Tablespoonssheep's milk feta cheese crumbled
2Tablespoonshazelnutstoasted , chopped
Dressing:
2teaspoonsshallotsmall chop
2teaspoonsrice wine vinegar
2Tablespoonsfresh squeezed orange juice
2Tablespoonslime juice
2Tablespoonslemon juice
1tspdijon mustard
2teaspoonshoney
1teaspoonssea salt
pinchblack pepper
1/8teaspooncayenne pepper
1/2cupextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Pickled Grapes (made a day ahead)
Wash and remove grapes from stems. Slice the stem end off each grape
In a small sauce pan whisk together vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
Place all spices in large mason jar. Add trimmed grapes to jar. Pour hot vinegar over grapes. Allow to cool, then place in fridge. They will be ready to use after 24 hours
Salad:
in a metal mixing bowl combine kale, currants, grapes, pickled grapes, apple and a 1/3 cup of the citrus vinaigrette; toss together by hand. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Add more dressing if needed.
Next pile salad on a plate and top with feta and hazelnuts, serve.
Dressing:
Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender and mix till smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil in a steady stream till well incorporated.
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