Orange Vinaigrette Super Salad
Let's talk greens, shall we? I am a lover of greens. I don't remember my mother ever having to beg me to eat my veggies. Most of my meals consist of greens. In fact, I eat a kale and broccoli salad 3-4 times a week for lunch.
I don't have to school you on the benefits of eating a mostly green diet. You hear enough of that from the media and every celebrity known to man. I'll only tell you that they are DANG good for you and DANG good in general. Eating them by themselves is great, but pairing them with other scrumptious foods, i.e., something called a "sa-lad", is even better!
Although I have always loved my greens, I was extremely hesitant about kale. It's a food that has been getting so much love and hate lately, and the fact that it was the hot topic on every celeb's lips made me want to hate it all the more. But then I was convinced to try a Sweet Kale Salad sold at Costco, (the salad I eat for lunch so many days of the week... it's just so good, guys) and I fell in love.
People will tell you it tastes like dirt. This is not true. It tastes a lot like broccoli, in that it has a slight bitterness but an excellent flavor and crunch. I still can't get my dad to eat it, but one day... One day...
Matching kale with iron rich spinach (I slip it into anything I can), and fresh whole leaves of basil is the honest-to-goodness best way to introduce it into your life.
This salad not only looks delicious, but a majority of the ingredients in it are considered a Superfood, thus the Super Salad! Kale (an anti-oxidant superstar), basil (anti-aging benefits), spinach (iron rich), avocado (delicious fiber and healthy fat) and feta cheese (protein, vitamin A, low fat) are all on the superfood list.
Add bacon (as with spinach... I slip it into anything I can) and honey roasted cashews, the kale will be the last thing on your mind. Oh, and the orange vinaigrette? Well, that's just the star of the whole shebang.
The sweet and tangy Orange Vinaigrette literally might be the best thing ever. It's like a perfect, bright and beautiful bow that has tied this whole package of Yum together, ready for your anxious taste buds. A simple mix of orange zest, orange and lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper and garlic powder is all it takes to make said big, beautiful bow. Not only does it add the perfect sweetness needed for this salad, just LOOK at that pop of color.
Does that color not just shout DELICIOUS??
I triple-dog-dare you to eat this salad and not love it.
Orange Vinaigrette Super Salad
Prep Time:12 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10 side salad servings
Ingredients:
- 6 strips of bacon
- 2 large stalks of kale
- 7 oz baby spinach
- 2 cups full basil leaves
- 4 oz feta cheese
- 1 large avocado
- 1 1/2 cup honey roasted cashews
For Orange Vinaigrette:
- zest of 1 orange
- juice of 1 orange
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch salt and pepper
1. Cook bacon strips until crisp, about 10 minutes. Set on a paper towel lined plate to let cool and drain. Mix together all vinaigrette ingredients and set in fridge until ready to use.
2. Wash kale, spinach, and basil seperately. Then cut the kale into salad sized leaves. Toss the greens together and place in serving dish.
3. Slice avocados, then gently top the greens with the slices. Crumble the now cooled bacon, and sprinkle it on the salad along with the cheese and cashews.
4. When ready to serve, drizzle with the orange vinaigrette.
5. ENJOY and post with #perfectleehungry.
Orange Vinaigrette Super Salad - Loaded with Superfoods, this summer salad is filling and topped with a sweet Orange Vinaigrette.
