Winter Vegetable Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Our wedding is still three months away but it feels like it’s coming up next week. Time is flying by and there are still so many little details to consider. I never could have imagined how consuming all of it is. Or how expensive.
I’m working extra shifts on the weekends to help offset the cost of everything, so life is busier now than ever. Which is fine. It’s great, in fact. Just a tad overwhelming, you know?
Work like an ant. One day at a time. That’s what I have to remind myself.
It’s been difficult to focus on creating new recipes but I’ve been obsessing over oranges lately. If someone starts peeling one, no matter how far away I am, the bright citrusy scent hits me smack in the face. There’s something so clean and refreshing about that smell!
Or maybe it’s just my immune system begging me to slow down and feed it some vitamin C?
Regardless, I’ve wanted nothing more than to take the plentiful bundles of kale at the market and coat them with a fresh orange vinaigrette.
I know a salad seems unseasonal to those of you who live in the land of ice and snow but it’s been in the 50’s and 60’s here so I’m mixing up the soup rotation with a few salads here and there.
To keep things interesting, I thought adding roasted beets and carrots with a light honey and ginger glaze would be nice.
Then, because I associate beets with goat cheese…not sure why, I finished the whole thing off with goat cheese and pecan crumbles.
The dressing was everything I hoped for. Full of citrus flavor but not enough to overpower the subtle sweetness of the glazed beets and carrots.
Plus, it’s colorful and nutritious enough to keep your energy up for whatever life brings. Whether it be shoveling snow or working two jobs to pay for a wedding…
Ingredients
2 bunches of kale, removed from stem and chopped
3 beets, peeled and diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
Orange Vinaigrette
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used Trader Joes white balsamic)
1 garlic clove, minced
juice and zest of one large orange or two small
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare beets and carrots by washing, peeling and dicing them.
- Arrange the peeled and diced carrots and beets on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or a glass baking dish then coat with two tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in oven for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring half way through so that they cook evenly.
- While the veggies are roasting, wash the kale and remove the stem before chopping it in to bite size pieces. Dry thoroughly then set aside in a large bowl.
- Prepare dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mixing well. I like to use a food processor to mince the garlic and orange zest then I add the rest of the ingredients and blend.
- Pour the dressing into the large bowl and massage the kale with your hands for about one minute, until it is well coated with the dressing.
- Add the goat cheese to the finely chopped nuts (again, I like to use the food processor to finely chop the nuts) and mix together until the goat cheese is covered.
- Once the vegetables are done roasting, remove them from the oven and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle them with the ground ginger and stir around until evenly coated in the glaze.
- Distribute the kale onto separate plates and arrange roasted veggies on top.
- Finish with a few tablespoons of goat cheese and serve.
Best of luck with the wedding plans and the extra shifts. I’m sure you’ll do great, but don’t forget to get some relax!
This salad looks magnificent, and that goat cheese- nut topping sounds amazing. Oh, and the orange vinaigrette seems wonderful as well. I’m a big fan of citrus too : )
There is literally no better combination in the WORLD than beets and goat cheese! And an orange vinaigrette…..ugh this looks perfect.
Good luck with the rest of your wedding planning. I know it can get overwhelming! At least you stay positive and healthy with meals like this! Pass me a fork please :)
You really amaze me. You are super busy and still manage to post awesome recipes, with flawless pictures.
That is one STUNNING salad, Sarah! Pinning this recipe for sure, sounds cleansing as all get out ;)
Wow, I don’t know how you do it…wedding planning, extra shifts, blogging…jeesh!
This salad looks wonderful! I actually never buy beets or have even cooked with them before. I really need to start adding them to my diet more often!
I can certainly relate to the busy-ness but I try to remember that everything always gets done in the end :) and this looks absolutely delish! I do miss summer berries but I love these winter veggies.
I’ve been obsessing over winter salads lately. I just can’t get enough!! I have been swamped with things to do lately, so I can totally relate. I’ve missed grapes and other summer delights, but all these winter veggies are great!
Your such a trooper working the extra shifts! Kudos to you.
This recipe reminds me of sunny days and I like that. :) I adore goat cheese but never thought of rolling them in crushed nuts. That sounds so tasty. Nice touch!
It sounds like you are very busy, I hope your enjoying the time leading up to your wedding and able to enjoy all the details without stressing too much about it. This salad sounds and looks wonderful! I love anything with beets and its nice to combine winter flavors into a salad. Warm crock pot soups are always nice when it’s cold but sometimes, even in the cold of winter, it’s nice to have a big fresh salad.
That pecan goat cheese has me drooling allllll over the place!! Gorgeous salad, lady.
The flavor combos and colors in this salad look so freaking delicious. I hope you can find some time to get a little relaxation in before your big day!
Only three weeks left, you must be so excited! Sounds like you’re busy to the max, but soon enough it’ll all slow down and you’ll get to enjoy your big day :) This salad is amaaaaaazing! I love the winter veggies (beeeeeeeeets! mmmmmmm beeeeets!) and yup, goat cheese and beets are one of my favorite food combos, EVER! You hit a home run with this one, lady!
I can’t believe the wedding is coming up so soon! This salad seriously sounds and looks incredible. But let’s be honest, what WOULDN’T pecan/goat cheese crumbles be delicious on?
Work like an ant – I like that. I am feeling overwhelmed right now too – between the blog and my job (which is in super busy season right now), it’s hard to keep up. But at least you have the wedding (!!) to look forward to! So exciting : )
And this salad looks wonderful – I love that you used goat cheese and pecans – some of my favorites!
This looks great Sarah! So colourful for this time of year.. the cold weather is definitely getting me down.
Props to you girl. You are almost there – 3 months!! I’m just behind you (6 months). Wedding planning is definitely draining but it will all be worth it in the end! I wish I had the option to take extra shifts at work, unfortunately we don’t get paid for extra days or overtime. Bummer.
Goat cheese+pecan crumbles?? Genius! Good luck with the wedding planning–one step at a time and know that it’s all worth it :)
This looks delicious, definitely pinning that one! I can’t believe how expensive weddings are these days. I know you’re super tired from working all that over-time, but you’ll be relaxing on your honeymoon before you know it!
Mm, this looks awesome!! Definitely need to try it, I love a good salad :) and the orange vinaigrette sounds amazing. Pinned!
Your photos are always stunning! Love these bright colors! This looks so good!
I would give pretty much anything for a 50-60 degree day! I’m so over this cold and snow. I’ve been the same way with oranges. I have a big bag in the fridge. They just taste so good right now!! Good luck with all your wedding planning. :)
Good luck with the wedding! I know how stressful it can be but it will be totally worth it. Stress now and then the day before your wedding just let go. What happens will happen and you should just enjoy!
I definitely love the idea of an orange vinaigrette. A great switch up from the typical lemon juice and super seasonal. I think that beets and oranges would complement each other really well. And the goat cheese crumbles – so creative! I haven’t seen that before.
I sure am jealous of the warm weather you Californians are having! I can’t really complain, since it’s not as cold here in Utah as in the Midwest, but it’s deeefinitely winter. Roasted veggies are just what the doctor ordered! And I am with you on the orange thing – it’s definitely this time of year that I’m craving citrus. It all looks delicious together in this salad!
Photography+Recipe: you simply nailed it! The combination kale/beets is so incredibly healthy and appealing.
How on earth do you come up with such creative recipes? This salad is gorgeous!
I hear ya on the vitamin C…I’ve been the same way! You make a boring salad look fabulous! I’d love this for lunch today.
Hope you’re wedding plans are going smoothly at this stage. :)
The salad looks so delicious- so fresh and colourful. Love all the photos too :)
I NEED to make that orange vinaigrette! What a fresh taste for a salad dressing. Funny story is that as much as I LOVE kale in mac and cheese (it is so freaking good), I’ve never had it raw. I worry that it would be too bitter for me, BUT I could see this salad going perfectly with spinach!
What a gorgeous salad, Sarah! Will definitely be putting that on my list. :) looks delish!
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