Shredded kale, radicchio and endive salad

I was feeling good about drizzling balsamic crema on my salad instead of an oil based dressing (it is oil free) until I read the label and realized there were at least  9 gram of sugar per 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of the stuff. I was not impressed. Granted, this was a balsamic crema with strawberries and figs reduction, so it had more sugar. The plain balsamic reduction showed 3 grams of sugar per tablespoon, which is just under a teaspoon. Sugar is hidden in almost everything we eat, you have to be a detective to track it down. Well, do as you wish with this information. Balsamic reduction delivers flavour but at a cost.

This salad has been a simple go-to salad for me lately. I don’t know how you are in the kitchen but I tend to get stuck on a couple of recipes or ingredients and cook them over and over for a while until something else turns up and I move on. Lately it has been quinoa and lentils in umpteen variations and this salad with the addition of kale.

My favourite salad greens are the bitter kind, radicchio, Belgian endive and arugula. I make so many different salads with them, not sure why I haven’t posted any lately, but here is my latest and simplest version. I shred the radicchio and endive as well as a few kale leaves into ribbons (not overly thin), toss them together, sprinkle with puffed millet (had it at a restaurant once and liked it) and sprinkle with crushed candied hazelnuts that I tend to always have on hand (in the freezer). I pile on a plate and drizzle with strawberry and fig balsamic crema, that’s all. The puffed millet is kind of interesting little crunch when you add it to a salad, I wish I could remember where I had seen it. Regarding the kale, I know about “massaging” the leaves. I am not into that. I buy fresh, crisp and young black kale and use it as is.

In case you are not into drizzling just balsamic crema over a salad, I am including a dressing recipe that everyone seems to like.

 

I am including a few salad images for inspiration, a couple of them previously posted on the blog.

Serves 2-4, depending on size.

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Ingredients:

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About 2 cups shredded radicchio.

2 small Belgian endive, sliced horizontally.

4 smallish black kale leaves, sliced horizontally into ribbons.

A handful mint leaves, left whole if they are small.

1/3 cup candied hazelnuts, roughly chopped.

1/3 cup puffed millet.

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (not pictures but they were there).

Strawberry-fig balsamic crema or another kind.

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Directions:

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Combine all the shredded vegetables on salad plates.

Sprinkle with puffed millet, chopped nuts and pomegranate seeds.

Drizzle with balsamic crema, honey or a salad dressing. See maple dressing below.

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Maple dressing:

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1/8 cup maple syrup

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1/8 cup non-dairy or regular plain yogurt

1/8 cup oil

Combine all ingredients and blend well.

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Pear and roasted beet salad

 

Iceberg wedgie with blue cheese

 

 

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