This is a simple salad with a fresh, bright taste that I made for my family’s Christmas Eve celebration. I was thinking about what we usually have and realized we don’t have many vegetables, so I thought I would make a salad, but make it red and green so it is festive! In spite of the red and green color scheme, this salad can be enjoyed year-round, and is vegan and gluten-free.
I love how these flavors go together - the pomegranate seeds and balsamic vinegar add a bit of tanginess, balancing the smooth avocado, and the mint adds an unexpected fresh punch (do I sound like a TV chef yet?)! The pomegranate seeds also add crunch, which I think is important in salads!
Ingredients
32 oz of chopped kale (this was two 16 oz bags of chopped kale from the grocery store)
2 packages of beets (I used the pictured kind from Trader Joe’s)
Fresh mint leaves, rinsed and dried (I used about half an ounce)
5 oz. pomegranate seeds (I used one package of the seeds from Trader Joe’s)
2 avocadoes, chopped into small cubes
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
Steps
1. Steam the kale over the stove, and dry it as much as possible - I strained it and then used a salad spinner to dry them (this is a similar style to the one I found at my house, and it is pretty handy).
2. Tear the larger mint leaves into smaller pieces.
3. Chop the beets, then add them to a shallow dish with enough balsamic vinegar so that they are mostly covered. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
- I prepared these the evening before, as I thought this would maximize the flavor,
but if you have less time, possibly just add more balsamic on the salad itself.
4. Chop the avocado into cubes.
5. Once the beets have marinated, mix everything together (including the balsamic marinade)! Enjoy!
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