Perhaps it is more difficult to include salad in your diet during these chilly winter months. However, a balanced diet should not be neglected even though the weather may influence otherwise. Various spins on a simple salad recipe can capture comforting tastes of the winter season to make the meal more inviting to eat during the next few frosty weeks.
1) Winter salad with spiced maple vinaigrette
This salad combines winter inspired flavors including: maple, warm spices including cloves and allspice, earthy vegetables and sharp cheddar cheese. The recipe makes four to six servings and is only 280 calories each serving.
Recipe:
- 5 oz. (5 packed cups) salad mix
- 5 oz. head frisée, trimmed and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 small turnip
- 1 small carrot
- 1 small parsnip
- 1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds, toasted
- 4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, crumbled
How to Make:
- Combine the salad mix and frisée in a large bowl.
- Peel the turnip, carrot and parsnip. Shave each of the vegetables in long strands with the peeler.
- Add sunflower seeds and half of the cheese. Whisk the vinaigrette and toss the salad with vinaigrette dressing.
- Serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese.
Vinaigrette recipe:
- 3 tbs. grade B pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole allspice berries
- 1 small whole clove
- 1 whole star anise
- 1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 tbs. apple-cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or vegetable
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- How to make:
- Combine maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice, clove, star anise, ginger and 1 tablespoon of water into a one quart sauce pan.
- Simmer the sauce on medium for three minutes
- Add vinegar and strain the mix into a medium bowl.
- Whisk the mixture and season to preferred taste and set aside to cool.
2) Quinoa and avocado salad with dried fruit, toasted almonds and lemon-cumin vinaigrette
The texture from the toasted almonds adds a unique touch to this colorful salad-keeping the maroon color alive from the Christmas season. The recipe makes four servings at 460 calories each.
Recipe:
- 3 tbs. raisins (preferably a mix of dark and golden)
- 2 tbs. dried apricots, thinly sliced
- 1 cup red or white quinoa, rinsed well
- pinch of salt
- 1 large lemon
- 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
How to Make:
- In a two-quart saucepan, bring two cups water, the quinoa and 1/2 tsp. of salt to a boil.
- Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender (about 10-15 minutes). Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a baking sheet to cool at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk lemon zest and one tablespoon of lemon juice with olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika and salt
- In a large bowl, add vinaigrette with the quinoa, raisins, apricots, avocado, apricots, scallions and almonds. Season to taste and serve.
Recipes courtesy of FineCooking.com