Turkey Day Slaw

Turkey day is next week! Are you ready?? Looking for a make-ahead salad that can stand buffet time? Turkey Day Slaw is just the recipe you need for your Thanksgiving Day feast.

Thanksgiving Slaw

Simple to prepare, Turkey Day Slaw holds exceptionally well. Fresh good for you ingredients adds a light side dish to the traditionally more substantial fare of the day.

Freshly shredded cabbage and kale give this dish a dash of healthiness, but they hold well and will not wilt like regular lettuce type salads. Dried cranberries add a sweet tartness, and toasted almonds add extra crunch. Italian parsley adds an extra freshness.

Thanksgiving Slaw

A simple vinaigrette made from a neutral oil ( I like avocado oil for taste and health), apple cider vinegar, apple cider, two types of mustard, a touch of maple syrup, and shallots dress Turkey Day Slaw to a tee.

Make Turkey Day Slaw the night before, and it will still be fresh for family and friends on Turkey Day. You can also prepare all the ingredients the day before and toss right before serving.

Thanksgiving Slaw

This recipe makes enough for eight or more, so of course, we had leftovers. Even two days later the slaw was still good. I would not recommend making it that far in advance, but if anything the flavors had a chance to blend even more. Great for leftovers.

Thanksgiving Slaw

Quick, simple make-ahead Turkey Day Slaw is the perfect Thanksgiving day salad.

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Thanksgiving Slaw

Turkey Day Slaw

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  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing:
1/3 cup avocado oil
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon brown grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 shallots, minced
For the salad:
5 cups cabbage shredded
5 cups kale, shredded
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste


Instructions

Make the dressing: Whisk the oil, and the next 6 ingredients together in a small bowl. Add the shallot stirring to combine. Alternately you can place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth Let sit while preparing the salad mixture.
Make the salad: Place kale in a large bowl and add about 1/3 a cup of dressing. Massage the dressing into the kale. Add the shredded cabbage, almonds, cranberries, and parsley to the kale and toss to combine. Pour remaining dressing over the salad and stir to coat mixture with dressing. Adjust seasonings as needed.


Poppyseed Power Salad

Super salads are …..….super!! Poppyseed Power Salad is a super delicious salad!!

Poppyseed Power Salad

What makes a salad super you might ask???? Well for me these are the 7 key components to build a super salad ……..

  1. Start with a really great mix of lettuce or green……..I love baby…..any green…..spinach, romaine, red leaf, ……the darker the color the better.
  2. You need some crunchy stuff……in this salad brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, carrot and kale. Nuts or seeds are a great addition……I used almonds.
  3. You need a colorful ingredient…….I used dried cranberries but, colored peppers, red onion, tomato, avocado, even shredded beets.
  4. Add a punch of protein……beans, meat, fish, eggs, or cheese….I used goat cheese.
  5. Fruit adds a fresh element. Apples, or berries, the choices are really endless. Be careful with dried fruits, they tend to have a higher sugar content so a little goes a long way. Less sugar options are also available….I use those.
     
  6. Leftovers can add any of the above ingredients, and are a good way to stretch your food dollar.
  7. Use a good dressing……preferably homemade. You can control the fat and sugar. Oil, vinegar and citrus make the best healthy dressings. Dress salads lightly.

Poppyseed Power Salad

I have salad several time a week, the more the better. I came across a bagged mix……let me say this about that………if you have access to a Farmers Market, or have a garden of your own……make that your first choice. Having said that, there are many great organic and non organic pre-made mixes that can save you time and money and still give you all the benefits for a super salad.

Mann’s is a brand name of veggie that I use often.
They have a large line of products that make eating your veggies easy. Their Powerblend mix with brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, carrots, and kale that I adore…….is what I used in this recipe.

Poppyseed Power Salad

Crunchy, nutritious, and full of vitamins…….and bonus ……it’s already ready already! I added some baby spinach to bump the green power and, cause I had some leftover.

I think fruit in a salad is a nice sweet surprise, and dried cranberries are an easy salad add in. As I said above, dried fruits do have more sugar so go lightly, and if possible buy a reduced sugar version.

Poppyseed Power Salad

If I had to chose a favorite nut……and had to exclude Tim…….lol, I would chose almonds. To me they have a light, delicate flavor that won’t overpower a dish. They are great in either sweet or savory dishes and are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber…..they are kinda super too!

Goat cheese……love it or hate it……I love it. So beautifully white, with a creamy mild and distinct flavor. It is not everyones cup of tea, but give it a try……it was the only choice for this salad.

Poppyseed Power Salad

Poppyseed dressing, I have made several varieties over the years, those is one of the best. Fresh and light, lemony, with a touch of sweetness. Lemon juice, olive oil, honey, dijon, and apple cider vinegar make the perfect dressing for Poppyseed Power Salad.

This salad does not have meat but you could add a nice grilled chicken and make it a main course. I must confess, that even thought it does not go with the healthy theme to the salad, I put leftover bacon on top when I took the leftovers of this salad for my lunch the day after I made it. It was bacon……what can you say….it was deliciousPoppyseed Power Salad

Poppyseed Power Salad is a perfect side or main dish salad.

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Poppyseed Power Salad

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  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 10 ounce package Powerblend Salad Mix
  • 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup reduced sugar dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup almonds ( whole, slivered or sliced )
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • Dressing
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup organic honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon poppyseed

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine all of the salad ingredients, toss to combine.
  2. Place all dressing ingredients except poppyseed in a blender or a jar with a tight fitting lid, blend or shake until emulsified. Add poppyseed and mix until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. When you are ready to serve give the dressing a shake, top the salad, and serve.

 

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

Kale is all the rage right now, and rightly so. It has crazy amounts of vitamins A, K, and C, and it’s packed with calcium. I must admit that I prefer spinach, and in a nutritional match up they are pretty equal. Although, spinach is a better source of iron, magnesium, and fiber. Be sure to buy either of these organic if possible. Leafy greens can be a sponge for any chemicals used in the growing process. Nutrition lesson over……..but look for our new page……coming soon, that will be all you wanted to know about nutrition, but were afraid to ask.

This recipe is hopefully….fingers crossed, just what my friend Michelle was looking for. She had a salad at a restaurant in Chicago and tried to replicate it but, wasn’t happy with the result. Now, Michelle is one of the best cooks I know, so if she couldn’t  come up with it I wasn’t sure I could either. But, I was willing to give it a try.

Michelle described what was in the salad and the ingredients were fairly simple. Kale, cabbage, mint, cilantro, parsley, and a peanut dressing. As I said before, I am not a huge fan of kale, but I tried a baby kale which I found to be a better taste. I will try this again with spinach. The dressing is where Michelle was stuck, so I hope my version…….peanut oil, rice wine vinegar, etc…….see recipe…..is the taste she was looking for.

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad 1

I added grilled chicken that I marinaded in the dressing for flavor, and and topped it with roasted peanuts. Both Tim and I really enjoyed it.

So, I hope my version of Roasted Peanut Kale Salad will be a close match for the restaurant salad……….let me know Michelle!

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad Collage

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Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

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  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 35 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Saute
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • Salad
  • 6 cups baby kale
  • 2 cups prepackaged cole slaw mix
  • 1/4 cup each fresh mint, cilantro, parsley chopped
  • 2 green onions sliced on the diagonal
  • 1/4 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
  • 3/4 to 1 pound chicken tenders ( about 6 tenders)
  • Dressing
  • 3/4 cup Peanut oil
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
  • 
1 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
  • 
2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

  1. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
  2. Add 1/4 cup of the dressing to chicken tenders and marinade for 30 minutes (or more).
  3. Combine all ingredients for the salad, except the peanuts and set aside.
  4. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill chicken tenders over medium high heat until cooked through. Remove from grill and cut into bite size chunks and let cool slightly.
  5. Add chicken and dressing to the kale cabbage mixture. Toss to coat adding dressing as desired.
  6. Plate and serve.
  7. Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

Notes

This recipe serves 2-4.