We made it to December and what a year we all had!
It's a matter of days for 2020 to close its chapter and I think it's worth getting into the festive mood and make it a December to remember. How about you? are you in the festive mood already?
Despite the difficult times, there are always positive opportunities that arise, one of them was the networking events by FemaleFusion which support UAE women in business & entrepreneurs and this is where I met the lovely Angelica who is a talented food stylist and photographer. Our passion for healthy living brought us close together, and from there, this idea for collaboration started - to spread the festive cheer in a healthy way.
Here's the first of our collaboration, presenting you with my favorite salad that is fancy enough to have a distinguished space on your festive table this year.
The base is kale, which is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. A powerful antioxidant, high in nutrients such as vitamins A, C, K, folate, lutein and zeaxanthin, and minerals phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and zinc.
TIP: The secret for a delicious kale, is to massage it with high quality extra virgin olive oil, before adding in the other ingredients.
I like to thank Alevoo for their generosity in providing the different samples of their amazing olive oil from Spain. This is a family run business of four sisters focused on high quality oil and personal care products. Their olive oils (Picual & Royal) are available at selected supermarkets in Dubai.
without further ado, here's the recipe for the Roasted veggies kale salad
Ingredients:
1 bunch (200gm) kale, remove leaves from the stems and roughly chop
2 medium sweet potatoes
3 pieces of beetroot
Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
Topping:
1 pack (125gm) of pomegranates
Chopped walnuts
Instructions:
1. Peel the sweet potatoes and beet root, cut into cubes or use a spiralizer to make spirals & ribbons (as in the photo). Then drizzle with olive oil, S&P and roast in over (200°c) for 20 to 30 minutes. Leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile massage the kale leaves with some olive oil and leave to marinate & soften.
3. Prepare the salad by adding the roasted veggies into the kale.
4. Stir in the prepared dressing (mix the dressing well in a jar or small bowl)
5. Add the pomegranate and walnuts
Notes:
- You can substitute or add other vegetables like bell peppers, avocados.
- You can add cooked quinoa into the recipe to make it a full nutritious meal.
- You can also add chickpeas for more protein.
- And you can be creative with toppings like using pumpkin seeds or flax seeds.
I hope you enjoy the salad.
Food styling and Photography: Angelica from https://www.celestialbeamllc.com/
Alevoo olive oil provided by https://www.alevoo.com/en