Warm Balsamic Delicata, onion, and Kale Salad

Let us talk about how winter squash is like one of the best foods ever. Seriously. Hardy, creamy, rich, and full of the nutty, sweet flavors of all the good things. How anyone says they don’t like winter squash is beyond me. I sometimes even feel like I put myself in danger of exploding when I am around enough cooked squash. I can eat and eat it until it’s gone, which is fine if it’s a serving or two, but when you roast up a 10 pound butternut, well, that is when the danger is real. I am getting better at holding back, but man, sometimes I just can't (or don’t want to?) help myself. ( You might also wonder why I cook 10 pounds of squash at a time. It’s because I will eat it all in a few days and I might as well cook a bunch at once, for efficiency sake.)

Now the delicata squah. If you haven’t had it before, stop what you are doing and go get one. You need to try it because it is amazing. Sweet, nutty, creamy. So good! And another good thing is that they are not giant, so you can buy one and eat the whole thing and not worry about overeating until you can’t move, unless that is the goal. In that case, just buy a bunch. HA.

Anyway, it’s getting to that time of year where salad is still great, it is just great warm. And with winter squash. Don’t you agree? So we cook up the squash, grab the kale and make one heck of a salad to eat all to your face. Because that is what will happen. You will make it , taste it, and not want to share it. It is too good to share. (Yes salads can be too good to share, so if you are planning on feeding others, plan accordingly)

To the salad!

The stuff. Kale, a delicata squash, red onion, some balsamic vinegar, a touch of maple, spicy brown mustard, a handful of toasted seeds, and salt and pepper.

Start with the squash. Cut it in half and scoop seeds from booth sides (these seeds are great roasted). After deseeded, cut both pieces into 1/4-1/2 inch thick rounds. And NO!!!!, do not peel the skin.

Grab the onion and cut into 1/4 inch rounds too.

Place the squash on a very lightly oiled baking sheet so the pieces are not overlapping each other. Then toss on the onion which is fine if it overlaps. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and lots of cracked pepper and pop into a hot oven.

In the meantime, mix the dressing situation together. Mustard, maple, and balsamic in a jar, mix and done.

Chop the kale too. Into mouth sized pieces.

Once squash is cooked all nice and tender, remove pan from oven. Take all the kale and toss on top then take the dressing and drizzle it all over the kale. Pop the pan back into the oven for a minutes or two, just until the kale starts to ever so slightly wilt.

Pull the pan back out and give it a good toss.

Dump it all into a big bowl, toss in the toasted seeds, and call it. Now grab a fork and start eating.

-C

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Warm Balsamic Delicata, Onion, and Kale Salad

Can be a main dish for 1 or a side for a few

• 1 delicata squash

• 1 bunch of kale (around 3/4 pound)

• 1 smallish red onion

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 -2 teaspoons maple syrup (more for a slightly sweeter, maple-y flavor)

• 2 tablespoons brown or dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup toasted seeds of choice (I used pumpkin and sunflower)

Preheat oven to 400

Cut delicata squash in half and scoop out all the seeds (you can save seeds to toast up later if you want), then slice the squash into 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick rounds. Grab onion and cut into thin slices. Take onion and squash and place them onto a very lightly oiled baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Don’t let the squash overlap, but it is fine for the onion to overlap the squash and itself. Pop the pan into the oven and bake until the squash starts to brown and is fork tender, which should take about 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, chop kale into small mouth sized pieces and set aside. And mix the balsamic, mustard, and maple together to create the dressing.

Once the squash and onions are cooked, toss the kale onto the pan and drizzle the whole thing with the balsamic mixture. Toss it all around and pop pan back into oven for another minute or two, just to let kale get a touch wilted.

Remove pan from oven, dump everything from pan onto a plate, and toss in the toasted seeds.

Grab a fork. Eat.

sesame soy cabbage

Here's one for the cabbage lovers our there, maybe even the haters as well. (I don't understand those people, cabbage is king in my stomach). I really believe that a good bit of cabbage can really change a persons perspective on the humble cruciferous vegetable, maybe even the world. To far? Maybe but what I always say is, "When in doubt try it out!" Either way, this bit of cabbage is vey very good good.  

A quick little warm up in a skillet with some sesame soy flavor and crunch and you got yourself a A plus little salad. It hits all the right notes for when a) its winter and fresh greens are more sparse (which it currently is and they currently are) b) its cold out (again currently because it's winter) and c) when you only have a head of cabbage in the fridge (was the case but I have sense remedied that). 

Chop it, toss, it, eat it. Quick and easy good food. Get on it.

The stuff. Cabbage (I used savoy but you can use any cabbage you want) soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, and a lemon. The lemon is optional, but a little acid is alway welcome in my mouth. 

Chop the cabbage. Unless  you are making this for more then 2 people, you probably only need half a head. However much you use, chop in up into 1-2 inch peices. You could  also shreds it if you want, but I like the bigger pieces. 

Toss the cabbage into a hot skillet that has been drizzled with a little olive oil and toss the soy sauce in with it too. 

Cook on medium high heat until the cabbage has slightly soften. 

While the skillet is still hot, drizzle in a touch of toasted sesame oil and a good amount of sesame seeds. Give it a toss. Taste and add more toasted sesame oil if you want.

Pile it Into a bowl and that's that. Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime if you like the addition of the acid. 

-C

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Sesame Soy Cabbage

serves 1-2 people

• 1/2 of a head of cabbage (green savoy, or red work)
• 1 tablespoon soy or tamari 
• 1/2-1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• sesame seeds
• lemon or lime (optional)

Preheat a large skillet to medium high with the olive oil. While its getting hot, chop the cabbage into 1- 2 inch pieces. When the skillet is hot, dump the cabbage in and toss around with the soy sauce. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, giving it a toss a few times, until the cabbage starts to soften. Depending on your preference you can stop cooking it now, or keep cooking until it reaches you preferred doneness. (I like it with a little crunch so I cook it for 5-6 minutes) Once it's done but the skillet is still hot, drizzle in the toasted sesame oil and toss in the sesame seeds. Taste for flavor and add more toasted sesame oil if needed. 

Serve right away although cold left overs are also fantastic. A wedge of lemon or lime is a well received addition. 

Balsamic Corn Tomato Kale Salad

I got my first few ears or corn from the farm share this week which is exciting because I wait until we get corn from the farm to eat it. I figure that we get so much from the farm that there is no freaking way I am going to buy it and plus I know that that corn was picked a few hours before I got it. If you are going to eat corn, it needs to be fresh (life lesson).

Have I told you that the mr hates corn? I am pretty sure I have. I also have a theory that he really doesn't hate it so I just go ahead and make food with corn in it. Then he eats it, likes it, and I am all like" AHA, you like corn be-otch! I win!" (not sure what I win). But then the next time I mention we have fresh corn and how would he like it he is all like, I hate corn.  It's a game we keep on playing. 

So I got fresh corn, lots of tomatoes, and the kale is growing strong out back. I figured I would give the mr a break from all the zucchini for the night and make he a nice warm summer salad with the corn that he "hates".

The mr ate it all and didn't even mention corn so now I am thinking that he just hates the word corn and if I don't say the word then there will be no problem. HA HA, I am a genius.

The stuff. A tomato, a ear of corn, some kale, a little balsamic vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper.

Chop the tomato and remove the corn from the cob.

Toss into an oven safe skillet with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.

Now stick it into the oven

After about 10 minutes the tomato has fallen apart and the corn is all nice and tender.

While the skillet is still hot the vinegar goes in and the (chopped) kale goes in. Mix it all around until the kale wilts. And be careful, the pan is hot.

Dump it into a bowl, sprinkle with pepper, grab a fork, and you are on.

Happy eating.

-C

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Balsamic Corn Tomato Kale Salad

makes a salad for one or two small side salads

• 1 medium tasty tomato
• 1 ear of corn
• like 4-5 good sized kale leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
•  oil of choice (i used avocado oil)
• salt and pepper

You can cook this in or on the stove. I did it in the stove because I was baking anyway

Preheat oven to 425

Remove corn from cob and chop tomato into medium sized chunks. Toss into a oven safe skillet with a drizzle of oil and a little pinch of salt. Stick in oven and cook until the corn is tender and the tomatoes have fallen apart, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and mix in vinegar. Chop kale into mouth sized pieces and toss into hot skillet. Mix around until kale starts to wilt. And it's done. Serve with a pinch of pepper.