warm kale salad with caramelized shallots, pine nuts and apple

this is a post about salad, but before we dive into that kale goodness above lets talk about dining room tables.  because it’s pretty much all i can think about. and if i harass lou about it any more we may end up in counseling. last night we cleared all of the miscallaneous crap out of the dining room that was lingering since the move (only 5 months later!) and hung all our art. when the dust settled i realized that the perfect table for our room is one i have spent years lusting over!  it’s the saarinen tulip table (see it in spaces here and here). we picked up a vintage saarinen tulip side table years ago (for a steal because of a chip on one side that we happily cover up with a plant) and that white marble gem makes me happy every time i look at it, so can you even imagine my level of joy if we had 8 FEET OF IT IN OUR DINING ROOM!? i can, obviously.  and how pretty does food look on marble?  it tasted 40% better too (yes, i did eat off the side table. i have no shame). now we just need to stumble on one with a chip.  preferably on the underside. that shaves about $6500 off the price.  ok then. kale….

recipe after the jump… click to read yo

hearty & spicy winter salad

another day, another delicious salad for lunch!  this time with rye berries.  as it turns out, they’re pretty stinking good- for berries that aren’t filled with sweet juice. i like a lot of kick in a salad lately, so i went for the arugula and spicy balsamic combo. with the sweetness of the currants and roasted root veggies it was pretty much perfect! how-to below, if you’re curious.  

INGREDIENTS

celery root

carrot

parsnip

red onion

dried currants

rye berries

arugula

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

red pepper flakes

sea salt 

HOW TO

soak 1 cup of rinsed rye berries overnight, then drain and cook in rice cooker with 1 3/4 cups of water.

chop the celery root, parsnips, carrots and red onion into bite size pieces.  lightly coat in olive oil, sprinkle on a couple shakes of sea salt and roast at 350 degrees until soft.

for the dressing: mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar,red pepper flakes and sea salt, to taste. i prefer mine of the tangy side, so lots of vinegar and a fair amount of red pepper flakes. spicy!

pile the arugula onto a plate, a healthy spoonful of rye berries and an equal amount of roasted veggies. add a spoonful (or two!) of currants, balsamic vinaigrette and if you’re lucky, a hunk of crusty bread.

easy, delicious, satisfying even on a cold day. oh, and extra healthy to boot. hope you love!