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salad

Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

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Recipe by Pork & Greens

Makes 4 servings

This one-dish salad is easily customizable with seasonal ingredients and your favorite flavor of pork bacon. This salad also works well using any fresh salad greens and crumbled sausage.

Ingredients

  • ½ lb bacon*, chopped 
  • 12 oz. spinach*, torn into bite-sized pieces 
  • 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar* (or lemon juice) 
  • Optional: 2-3 oil-packed anchovy fillets and 1 Tbs capers 
  • 1/2 oz. radish microgreens* 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • a few tablespoons of fresh herbs* 

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove from the pan and chop into pieces. Do not drain off the fat, as this becomes the dressing! 
  2. Turn off heat. Stir in the anchovies and capers. Whisk in the vinegar. Add spinach. Stir until greens are wilted, do not over-cook. 
  3. Season with salt, pepper, radish microgreens, and herbs. Serve on a platter or right out of the skillet.

 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Roasted Beet and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

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Recipe by Marisa Kerkvliet

Yields: 4 servings 

Ingredients 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market 

For the salad: 

  • 3 medium-size beets or 1 large beet* 
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced* 
  • 1 bag baby lettuce* 
  • 1 handful pea shoots or microgreens* 
  •  ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese* 
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts 

For the vinaigrette 

  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoons minced red or yellow onion* 
  • 2 teaspoons honey* 
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Trim the stem end off of each beet, wrap in a piece of aluminum foil, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast beets for 1-2 hours or until they are tender when pierced with a paring knife. 
  2. Allow the beets to cool and gently rub off the skin. The beets can be used at this point or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
  3. When ready to serve, slice the beets into ¼ inch slices and arrange them on a serving platter. Layer on the sliced apple, baby lettuce, pea shoots, feta cheese, and walnuts and set aside. 
  4. To make the dressing combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, minced onion, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in the jar or a small blender and blend on high for 15-30 seconds or until completely smooth. If you do not have a blender small enough for this quantity, simply whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. 
  5. Pour dressing over the plated salad and serve immediately.

Eating Fresh and Flavorful in the Winter

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By Marisa Kerkvliet

We probably all have memories of the farmers’ market during the summer months. Tables stacked full of brightly colored fruits and vegetables and bustling isles full of customers. During the winter, the farmers’ market might not be the first place you think to go on a Saturday morning. If you have yet to venture into the winter market, you may be surprised that there is far more fresh produce than you think! Not to mention the booths full of other kitchen staples like honey, meat, and fresh bread.

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Root crops such as beets, potatoes, turnips, and carrots are hearty and do well in cold storage many months after the fall harvest. Winter squash can be kept for months and is still delicious when roasted or baked, even in the early spring. Brassicas such as kale and cabbage are also available. Did you know that kale leaves become sweeter after they withstand frosty weather? You can find fresh, sweet greens like lettuce, spinach, pea shoots, and microgreens.

Saratoga Apple, photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

This week’s recipe features sweet roasted beets and fresh apples complemented by salty feta cheese and a tangy honey dijon vinaigrette. The salad is rounded out with the freshest of greens. The recipe can easily be adapted with ingredients available at the market. If pea shoots are not available, use microgreens instead or stick with the baby lettuce. If beets aren’t your thing, pour this dressing over the greens, apple, and feta to make a light side salad.

Photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Roasting beets in foil is an excellent way to cook them while retaining flavor and sweetness. After roasting, the skin should easily slip off. The exact cooking time for the beets varies greatly depending on the size. Medium size beets, about 3 inches in diameter, will typically take about an hour to fully cook. Winter beets at the market are often much larger, about 6 inches, and can take up to 2 full hours to cook. Roasted beets keep well in the fridge, so consider roasting more than you need so you can use the rest throughout the week. 

I am a freelance recipe developer and food photographer with a background in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. I focus on sharing seasonal whole-food recipes for the whole family. You can find me and see more of my work on my Instagram @lemon.thyme.kitchen.

This week’s recipe: Roasted Beet and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Peak-of-the-Season Salad with Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

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Photo by Pattie Garrett

“The holiday season for our farm family has come to mean celebrating local bounty. Enjoy my recipe for the most delicious, nourishing, seasonal salad for the winter holidays!” – Corinne Hansch

Recipe shared by Lovin’ Mama Farm
Serves 6-8
Prep & assembly time: 25 mins

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the vinaigrette:
● 1 1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
● 2 small shallots*, finely diced
● salt and freshly milled pepper
● 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
● 6 Tbs. roasted walnut oil or a mixture of walnut and olive oils

For the salad:
● Local, seasonal baby greens, such as baby lettuce*, radicchio*, arugula*, or mesclun*
● Microgreens* or shoots*
● Assorted radishes*, including watermelon radish, sliced
● grated carrots*
● sliced cabbage*
● crumbled goat cheese* (optional)

For the toasted walnuts:
● 1/2 cup walnuts
● 1 tbs butter*

Instructions
To make the vinaigrette, combine vinegar, shallots, and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Stir in the mustard, then add the oil. Whisk well until the dressing is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To make the toasted walnuts, warm a heavy-bottom skillet and melt the butter. Add the walnuts and stir until coated in the melted butter and slightly browned. Watch closely as they can burn easily!

Assemble the salad in the largest bowl you have. First toss the greens, microgreens, and shoots together, then top with grated carrot, sliced cabbage, and slices of radishes. Add crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts, then drizzle the dressing on top and serve!

Chicken Spinach Salad with Butternut Squash

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Photo by Pattie Garrett

Recipe by The Roasted Root, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4

Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
● ¼ cup olive oil*
● 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar*
● 1 Tablespoon maple syrup*
● ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the chicken and butternut squash:
● 1 pound boneless chicken tenders or breasts*
● 1 Tablespoon olive oil*
● 1 teaspoon oregano
● 1 teaspoon paprika
● 2 teaspoons olive oil*
● 2 cups butternut squash*, peeled and chopped
● ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Salad:
● 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach*
● ½ cup raw pecan halves
● ¼ cup golden raisins
● 1 large green apple*, cored and sliced

Instructions
1. For the vinaigrette: Whisk all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl until smooth.
2. For the chicken and butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Place chicken in a casserole dish. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with oregano, and paprika. Place the squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Roast the squash and chicken in the oven for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender and golden brown. Continue to cook the chicken until cooked through.
3. For the Salad: Place spinach in bowl or on individual plates. Top with pecans, raisins, squash, chicken and apples. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad.

Panzanella

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iStock

Recipe shared by NightWork Bread, adapted from the recipe by Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1/2 loaf Night Work Country Sourdough*, cut into 1-inch cubes
● 3 tbsp olive oil*
● 3 large tomatoes*, diced
● 1 large cucumber*, diced
● Two large handfuls fresh basil leaves*, coarsely chopped
● 1 tsp sea salt

Dressing:
● 3 cloves garlic*, minced
● 1 tsp Dijon mustard
● 2 tbsp rice vinegar
● 1/3 cup olive oil*
● 1/2 tsp sea salt
● Freshly ground pepper

Instructions
Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium. Add bread cubes and season with salt. Stir occasionally, 8-10 mins until toasted and browned.

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Add to chopped veggies, mix in bread cubes and top with basil. Season salad with salt and pepper. Best served at room temperature.

Pro tip: You can add all kinds of great veggies from the farmers’ market to this salad, depending on your taste. Try some red or yellow bell peppers, red onion, lightly roasted summer squash, roasted beets, or microgreens. Enjoy!