Kale Orange Pomegranate Cranberry Salad

Hello Wild Chives Readers!

Jessica here, Lou's oldest daughter.

Here at Savory Event Catering we value family and my mom has definitely passed the culinary bug to us too! She's definitely the professional and I am still learning from her wealth of knowledge. My sisters and I will also be contributors, showing what cool things my mom has taught us. As a vegetarian, I focus on healthy eating... I am known as the Salad Guru in our family!

Above, photo of us. Jessica, Mom, Haley, Mckell. November 2010.

Below is a delicious salad I made to complement a Thanksgiving meal. I love this because it is SWEET. I definitely have a sweet tooth (proof that being vegetarian not always = healthy). But I think this is a healthy way to satisfy sweet cravings with seasonal winter fruit.

Thank goodness for citrus fruits in winter. This salad also has Kale, which is one of the most vitamin rich leafy greens you can eat! 

Kale is a closer cousin to Broccoli than lettuce and I think it adds a great texture to the salad. A great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and Calcium (especially important for my Vegan friends & lactose intolerant friends who don't consume dairy)

Pomegranates are also in season around Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Pomegranates are rich in anti-oxidants and have been considered a health food for centuries. Some may be intimidated on how to cut them, but continue reading and I will show you how to eat a pomegranate.

Oranges are a great addition too. These are clementines, a mandarin orange variety. They are similar to tangerines, but are seedless! Tons of Vitamin C to keep your immune system healthy during flu season.

When I cut the kale, I always trim the stem off. It is very tough. Also I shred the Kale into tiny bits. It can be a little bitter, but the tartness and acidity of the clementines and pomegranates counteract any unsavory taste from Kale.

How to cut a pomegranate:

Slice into quarters, fill a bowl full of water. You're going to break apart the seeds from the pith membrane in the water. The equilibrium of the water makes it so less seeds break open. You retain much more of the juice this way and less mess. The juice from a pomegranate will definitely stain your Carrera Marble countertop! (oh, I'm trained as an interior designer, this is when my geeky design side starts showing :)

Carefully break apart the seeds pods from the membrane.

The pith floats to the top-- seeds stay on the bottom! Now just rinse the seeds and lay on a paper towel to dry.

Time to assemble the salad. I used a mix of romaine, kale, and a spring salad mix w/ dark leafy greens. The darker the greens, the more vitamins you get! I also added dried cranberries, I like the chewy texture and cranberries are a great because they prevent bacterial infections.

I used a basic olive oil and lemon dressing for this. I think that a too complicated dressing competes with the sweetness of the fruit. 

But, you could always serve with a raspberry vinaigrette!

Here at Savory Event Catering, this is one of our favorite salads to serve at a winter wedding. The colors are so vibrant they look great on the buffet table!