Why should summer have all the leafy fun? Try a winter salad
Summer may officially be the season of green salads, but wintertime versions have advantages that make them worth exploring.
The cooler weather seasonable greens are hearty and darker green, which makes them nutrient-rich. And, these thicker-leaved greens such as kale or spinach, can hold up to the addition of warm ingredients, opening up the possibilities for topping your salad with some roasted goodies.
Have some hearty root veggies in the fridge? Toss them (and some whole garlic cloves — yum!) in some olive oil and roast them up, and add warm to raw kale leaves with lemon juice, Parmesan and black pepper and you’ve got a winter salad rivalling anything you’d make in July.
This recipe takes inspiration from this season’s holiday cooking pantry ingredients that I always seem to have on hand. Apples, left over from apple pie, are the salad’s real star, while the pumpkin vinaigrette — also of pie fame — plays an important supporting role.
I cut the apples into small cubes and quickly roast them in a little salt and rosemary at high heat, and the little cubes turn into sweet, herbaceous nuggets of flavour — like raisins, but better — and make other ingredients almost unnecessary. I add leftover turkey for protein, almonds for crunch and tomatoes for a tiny bit of acid.
Green Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette and Roasted Apples MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Salad: 2 large tart apples (such as Granny Smith), cut into 1-inch cubes (unpeeled), about 3 cups 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary 5 cups baby spinach or kale, or other hearty greens ½ cup baby tomatoes, halved or quartered 1½ cups shredded cooked white meat chicken or turkey ¼ cup Marcona almonds ½ tsp kosher salt Olive oil in a mister Pumpkin Vinaigrette: ¼ cup pumpkin purée 1 tablespoon water 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp minced rosemary 1 tsp minced shallot A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
Start to finish: 30 minutes Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the cubed apple on a parchment-line baking tray and spray with an olive oil mister to coat the cubes. Sprinkle on the minced rosemary and salt, and gently toss the cubes to coat. Bake just until tender and edges are starting to turn golden, about 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool just a few minutes. While the apples are roasting, make the vinaigrette. Place the pumpkin purée, water, vinegar and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk the olive oil into the mixture until well-blended. Add the rosemary, shallot and black pepper and stir.
Assemble the salad: place the spinach in a bowl or platter and top with the tomatoes, chicken, almonds and warm, roasted apples. Drizzle with pumpkin vinaigrette, toss, and serve.
Per serving: 239 calories (75 from fat); 8 grams fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 45 milligrams cholesterol; 336 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrate; 6 g fibre; 12 g sugar; 20 g protein.