Slightly Sweet!

In my eagerness for a good deal at the grocery store I found myself with several bags of Cuties. You know, those cute little mandarin oranges that peel super easy and have no seeds. After a week of eating them 4 at a time I still have an over abundance so I thought, dressing! I wanted something slightly sweet to offset the strength of the kale and the tangy granny smith apple but would also do well with the creaminess of avocado.

The dressing isn't overly thick but has sticking power on the kale and other ingredients. I think it would be nice drizzled over any greens or even roasted broccoli. I may play with this a bit and see if it can be adapted to stand up to some Brussels sprouts. 

Mandarin Coriander Dressing

4 Mandarin oranges, peeled and separated
1/4 c. grape seed oil
1/2 t. ground coriander
pinch of sea salt

Combine mandarin oranges, coriander and pinch of salt in blender. Cover and start on low setting. While on low setting drizzle grape seed oil into mixture. When all the oil has been added, turn on high speed and blend for 2 minutes.

For the kale salad I used:
3 cups of kale, torn into bite size pieces
1/2 granny smith apple, diced
1/4 avocado, diced
1/4 c. grape tomatoes,halved
scant handful of raw almonds, rough chop

Notes: I used Cuties brand for the Mandarins. Super sweet and delicious all with out seeds to make it a little easier. Toss what ever you like in your salad - other ideas I kicked around were carrots, edamame, thinly sliced red cabbage - the possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

Fresh!

Treat them like you do flowers. That's what I always say when asked how to maximize the life and freshness of herbs.

Aromatic and Flavorful

When shopping for herbs look for the greenest, freshest ones you can find. I prefer to wash them, trim the ends and put in a short glass with a small bit of water - about 1/4 inch.  Wrap them in plastic (loosely) - I reuse the produce bags from the grocery store. Change the water regularly and they should last a good week or more...if you don't use them up before that. Some herbs do well in the refrigerator, others not so much. Basil is delicate and sensitive to cold so I keep it at room temperature on the kitchen counter. A general rule I use is, if I find it chilled at the grocery it probably does well in a cooler place.

Enjoy!