Holiday Jewel Salad
One of my favorite salads to make all year long, this salad is particularly wonderful around the holidays because of the in-season availability of all the ingredients and the beautiful, vibrant colors and textures it lends to any holiday feast.
Make it into a meal-worthy salad by topping with roasted turkey breast, shredded bacon, and/or goat cheese.
On its own it is both paleo and vegan. I used all organic ingredients.
Ingredients for the Salad
- 2 bunches of Lacinato (dinosaur) kale, ends removed and cut cross-wise in very thin strips
- ½ medium head of purple cabbage, cut very thin (by hand or food processor)
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup cranberries, raisins, chopped apples or dates
- 1 cup raw pecans or roasted pistachios
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds/fruit
Ingredients for the Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (use more if you prefer)
- 2 large lemons, juiced
- 2 Tbls. raw apple cider vinegar
- 4 Tbls. maple syrup
Also: Pink Himalayan sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste.
Instructions
Time needed: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Holiday Jewel Salad
- Prep vegetables
Prep kale, cabbage and onions and toss together in a large bowl with dried fruit.
- Mix and add dressing
Mix dressing in a separate bowl or add dressing ingredients directly to the salad then toss the salad and dressing together. Adjust lemon, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup to taste according to your preference for sweet and sour balance.
- Let salad marinate
This part of the salad is best made 30-60 minutes in advance, so the flavors meld and the dried fruit softens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add toppings
Before serving, top salad with the pomegranate “jewels” and nuts.
- Make it a meal!
To make it a meal, add roasted turkey or chicken, bacon, and/or goat cheese.
As prepared by: Karen van Der Veer, ND
