Kale Blood Orange and Fennel Salad
Whoever coined the expression “your eat with your eyes first” must have been looking at blood oranges. I think they are one of the most strikingly beautiful fruits in the world. They look like regular oranges (some have a bit more reddish tinge in their skin), but when you cut into them…Surprise. Beautiful. Brilliant ruby red. Like nothing you’ve ever seen. Although their name doesn’t sound very appetizing, blood oranges are as sweet and delicious as any ripe orange. They’re great just to snack on, but they also make a striking addition to salads, desserts, or beverages because of their amazing deep red color.
If you’ve never had a blood orange, HURRY. They have a very short season, and they’ll be gone soon. While all oranges are good for you, and a great source of vitamin C, blood oranges have even more antioxidants from something called anthocyanin – it’s the compound that also gives berries their deep rich color. Combined with baby kale and fennel, this is a vitamin and antioxidant power-packed salad. All three ingredients are great cancer fighters, and kale is off the charts in its vitamin K content.
Most importantly though, this salad is delicious with a blend of sweet and savory flavors.
Just look. How could you NOT want to eat that?
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed baby kale
- 2 blood oranges peeled
- 1/2 small fennel bulb stems and leaves removed
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans chopped
- 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon orange muscat vinegar or any orange vinegar, or cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Mix together orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, and honey in a small jar with a lid. Add salt and pepper to taste. Shake well to combine and set aside.
- Remove any stems from the baby kale. Place kale leaves in a large bowl.
- Slice oranges into 1/4-inch thin slices, and add to bowl with kale.
- Peel any wilted or discolored outer layer of fennel and discard. Slice off the bottom, root end of the fennel and discard. Slice remaining fennel into very thin strips and add to bowl.
- Toss kale, oranges and fennel to combine. Pour dressing over and toss well to coat.
- Sprinkle pecans and crumbled goat cheese over salad and serve.
Notes
Have you tasted blood oranges?
Eat well!