sometimes i simply crave fresh & light - even in the fall & winter months.
in the summer salads are a staple weeknight dinner for justin and i.
when fall and winter approach we crave warm fall comfort food - soups, stews, casseroles, freshly baked bread. in between all those hearty soul warming meals the craving for fresh crisp greens crept up on us. luckily our local winter farmers market farmer is still growing greens in the greenhouse - paired with roasted root veggies it became the best fusion of summer and fall - a summer fall fusion salad.
when a salad is built right it can be incredibly satisfying and so un-boring.
whenever i make a salad i think about layering - the layering of flavors & textures.
roasted carrots & beets lend some bulk & flavor, dried nectarines a bit of sweetness, walnuts for heart healthy fats & crunch, wasabi roasted edamame for heat and contrast.
luckily, despite the freezing over night temps my parsley was still hanging on- i love adding fresh herbs to salads, flat leaf parsley is my favorite salad herb.
prior to about 6 months ago i was never fond of tempeh - the truth is i never really knew what to do with tempeh. i had a bad experience many years ago, and never went back to give it a second chance. that is until i learned how to infuse it with flavor ( i don't recommend eating tempeh straight up), now i can't get enough of it! the tempeh croutons that top this salad are super easy to make, leftovers make a great snack to!
do you crave summer freshness during the fall & winter months?
how do you adapt your summer salads to work with all the delicious fall flavors we are lucky to have?
Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad ~ Tempeh "Croutons"
serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a side
you will need:
2 large beets peeled, sliced in half then sliced into half circles
8 small carrots or 4 medium, scrubbed & cut into 3" sticks
1 tbsp rosemary infused canola oil/ canola oil + 2 tsp minced rosemary
sprinkle of kosher salt
1/2 cup roasted wasabi edamame
8 dried nectarines cut into quarters
1/2 cup walnut pieces
8 cups field greens
handful flat leaf parsley
for the tempeh croutons
1 package of tempeh - sliced in half lengthwise & cut into small squares
1 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp balsamic
1 tsp rosemary infused canola oil
4 tbsp water
for the vinaigrette
2 parts apple cider vinegar
3 parts olive oil
2 tbsp parsley, torn
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
assembly:
pre heat oven to 425*
on a rimmed baking sheet, evenly spread beets and carrots & toss with rosemary canola oil. roast in pre heated oven for 25 minutes.
in a medium bowl mix together tahini through water - submerge tempeh squares into the mixture and allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
on a serving platter or bowl toss greens and parsley - add walnuts, wasabi edamame & walnuts.
in a medium saute pan over medium high heat add tempeh & marinade. cook over medium high heat until tempeh begins to turn golden and marinade begins to cook down - adjust heat as necessary to avoid burning
remove veggies and allow to cool to the touch - add to the salad and top with the tempeh croutons.
to make vinaigrette simply wisk all ingredients together until emulsified - drizzle over the salad just prior to serving.
roasted veggies & tempeh can be made a day ahead - assemble salad just prior to serving.
Those croutons sound amazing! What a great way to get some protein into a salad :)
ReplyDeleteI want this salad ASAP since it looks divine :)
ReplyDeleteCheers
Choc Chip Uru
Yum! What a delicious looking salad!
ReplyDeleteSalads with marinated seared tempeh are a standard at our house! I love the idea of mixing it up with roasted root veg. :)
ReplyDeleteI love using roasted beets for a winter salad! Those flavoured tempeh croutons would complement the other ingredients so well and help make this a heartier salad! I don't think I knew you could get dried nectarines either - interesting addition!
ReplyDeleteHoly Dooly! This salad is SO droolworthy! Love it Heather!
ReplyDeleteYum! This year I missed out on the ton of beets I usually get. I need to look for some now that I've seen your salad :D And your croutons look awesome!
ReplyDeleteThis has got to be one of the most colourful and beautiful salads I've seen! The vivid colours really cheer me up, especially here in Toronto, where the weather is dark and gloomy, and the nights getting longer. As we approach the "darkest" months of the year, I am so happy to see such a bright salad like this! Makes me think of warmer days...
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, how did you manage to put so many of my favorite things on a salad? I am definitely making this.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Miss Heather! ;D
ReplyDeleteI'm loving these flavours all combined ;)
ps....
I would love it if you shared this or another recipe at my Fall into Winter themed Potluck Party:
Hope to see you there. Have a great weekend. Ella
http://www.lifeologia.com/potluck-party-fall-into-winter-recipes/
This looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Liebster award. :)
- Stacey
http://healthyhappyhippie.com/post/36998503332/liebster
In the winter, when I feel like having a salad, I always add roasted veggies. This salad looks phenomenal (Good luck with the salad contest!). :-)
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