Kale, Apple and Parmesan Salad with a Lemon Vinaigrette

If you think salads are boring, then it's time to branch out and starting sprucing up your salad repertoire. One of the great things about salad is that you can put almost anything in a salad, and it will taste good. And the great thing about winter are all the beautiful winter greens that are available for use. This salad uses dinosaur kale, baby spinach and cabbage, but it could very well be romaine, chard and collard greens. Any green you might normally associate with only being a cooked green can actually be eaten raw. You just need to slice it in thin ribbons. These greens add such a lovely depth of flavor to your salads. Figuring out what else goes in the salad is the fun part. I used a mixture of roasted potatoes, roasted butternut squash, thinly sliced apples, toasted pine nuts and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I topped this salad with a lemon vinaigrette that I whipped up in mere seconds and added a small handful of toasted pita chips on the side. You could use lentils, orzo, brown rice, other roasted veggies, etc. The sky is the limit! This salad is satisfying, delicious and healthy!

Kale, Apple and Parmesan Salad (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1/2 head of dinosaur kale, bottom stems removed and kale sliced in ribbons
1/4 head of green cabbage, sliced in thin strips
3-4 cups baby spinach
1 apple, sliced thinly
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup roasted butternut squash
1/2 cup roasted fingerling potatoes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated fresh

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Top lightly with the lemon vinaigrette (recipe below).

3. Enjoy!

Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Whisk all ingredients together.

2. Use to top salads, pastas or even lentils.