Green Machine Slaw with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette

With toasted slivered almonds, crunchy sugar snap peas, creamy avocado, and bright cucumber, this extraordinarily green slaw is everything you need and more when you're craving a plateful of veggies and something bright. 

It started as a simple thing -- a slaw to be served under some salmon burgers I've been working on. But then it spiraled out of control: as I drove home, I started to day dream about an everything-green slaw and what all could go into it. Next thing you know, I'm pulling off the thoroughfare and aiming for the closest grocery store to pick up a few things I don't have at home: green onions, limes, and a green bell pepper. 

With the color green as my muse, I headed home and immediately started slicing and dicing. The salmon burgers? I'm sure they were fine, but I don't quite remember. It was the slaw that got all of the attention. Dressed in a bright ginger-lime vinaigrette, it was refreshing and bold. Bits of toasted almond added a punch that was rather addicting, and avocado -- well, we all love avocado, don't we? 

Here's to the color green! It makes for one pretty slaw. 

P.S., Every time I post a salad recipe showing this salad bowl, I get asked about the bowl. It is my favorite salad bowl! Mine was a gift, but I've see a very similar one on Amazon (affiliate link!).

Green Machine Slaw with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette

Published April 3, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Slaw:
• 1/2 head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, cut julienne
• 1 cucumber
• 2 green onions
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

For the Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated on microplane

Directions:

1. Place thinly sliced cabbage and sliced bell pepper in large salad bowl.
2. Cut cucumber on a bias (here’s a video on how to do that), and add to bowl. Then, remove roots and dark green parts form green onions, slice green onions, and add to bowl. Add add optional jalapeño, cubed avocado, minced cilantro, and slivered almonds. Toss salad to combine ingredients.
3. In a small jar, combine lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, salt, maple syrup, and grated ginger. Place lid on jar and shake until combined. Pour dressing over salad and toss until everything is coated. Serve.

Crunchy Arugula, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

On a morning jog though Monterey, I worked not to slip on the wet cobble path beneath my feet. It had just rained, and was likely to start raining again soon, but for a moment the air hung still, albeit heavy with humidity. I was barely going fast enough to raise my respiratory rate (plus, at sea level the air is thick), but humidity made me sweat anyways. The sunrise was a blend of oranges and pinks and even purples, and I stopped to take pictures almost as much as I ran.

The humidity held down any usual street smells, and instead what I smelled was the California coast at it's purest. Eucalyptus, as I ducked through a grove of trees; Rosemary, as I jogged by California's first theater (it is hedged with rosemary bushes, each over two feet tall); Lavender, as I passed through the English garden alongside the boat house. And over it all, the unmistakable smell and sound of the ocean: salty and constant.

In my head, I am calling this salad the "California Salad," because when all of the ingredients come together they paint a mirage of the west coast.

As I drove down highway 1, I saw field after field of crops. It's hard to name them all: butterhead lettuce, artichokes, strawberries, and them I'm lost. These fields are a color of green that just isn't possible in the plains of Colorado, and that makes them almost hypnotizing. It's the color of fresh. 

A walk under a citrus tree this time of year is a rewarding experience, as the branches are heavy with fruit. Grapefruit, oranges, lemon. Across the street, I noticed an avocado tree boasting a absurd number of fruits. They were small still, and I couldn't tell if that was just a characteristic of the variety or if they still had room to grow. 

And there, near Cannery Row, was a storefront for an almond grower. They were stocked with piles of oils and butters and nuts. The smell of toasted nuts wafted from it's door, enough to override that salty ocean smell for a minute. 

This salad is only a few of the scents and flavors you find on the west coast, but as I put it together I couldn't help but remember the ocean breeze, the rolling hills, and warm evenings. 

Funnily enough, one of my last trips to the west coast also inspired a salad, which is completely different: Seared Wasabi Crusted Tuna Salad with Ginger & Almonds.

Crunchy Arugula, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

Published January 16, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 5-ounce package of baby arugula
• 1 grapefruit (large)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almond 
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Directions:

1. Place arugula in a salad bowl.
2. Cut the peel from the grapefruit, and then use a pairing knife to cut out each wedge of fruit, leaving the pith behind. Arrange fruit pieces over arugula.
3. Slice avocado, and arrange over arugula. Sprinkle with almonds and sesame seeds.
4. Make vinaigrette: place olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, and salt in a jar. Seal jar with a lid, and shake to combine ingreidents. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss!

Butternut Squash & Kale Caesar Salad

26 shows up in the middle of coffee one morning and hands you a freshly printed memo that reads: “You’re going to get old one day and die. You’re cool for now, but it will happen. You’re officially on notice. You won’t be young forever.” And then 26 struts out of your office, like an unconcerned dick, having nonchalantly just changed your entire perspective. - Jessica Blankenship

I tucked that quote away into my Evernote earlier this year. It didn't resonate with me in that moment, but my 26th birthday was around the corner so I packed it where I could find it just in case. For the first time in my life, I feel my age. 

By this I do not mean that I literally feel age in my body: while I have aches and pains I do not feel 26 years weighing in my knees. I am reminded of this when we climb and I drop from the top of a bouldering wall--my knees bend and pillow my fall without complaint. But I feel 26 in my mind. (Or debatably 25.5, if you want to split hairs). 

An old soul by nature, this is a new feeling. At sixteen I felt eighteen, and at eighteen the youngest friend I hung out with regularly with twenty-two. When twenty-three came I accidentally told someone I was twenty-five (an earnest mistake). This has been a life long theme.

But twenty-six arrived last month without much warning. Twenty-six? I'm not twenty-six, am I? Twenty-six. It's not old. But my years have, perhaps, finally caught up with my soul. It's gone both ways I believe: the years have grown shorter all the while my heart has grown younger, freer, looser. 

But, enough about me and onto today’s creative creation:

Butternut Squash & Kale Caesar Salad

This salad is designed for the months when farmers markets are less plentiful, and the sun stays behind the clouds. Butternut squash and dino kale are good all year long, and it uses both liberally. An when you're feeling like you need a pick me up, this salad will do the trick. 

It’s heathful and cheesy, at the SAME TIME. That’s why everyone loves caesar salad anyways, right? This caesar salad variation is EXTRA everything, because:

• We’re using kale instead of romaine. Read: extra flavor, extra crunch, and yes — extra nutrients. Romain is mostly water 😉 (It’s also great, but I’m rooting for kale today)

• Butternut squash cubes (roasted, golden) are swapped for croutons. I KNOW some people will think this is a tragedy, but I FREAKIN’ LOVE squash, and double love it when it’s roasted. And by making this simple swap you’ve made a salad that’s “clean,” gluten-free/grain-free, and seasonal. Win, win, win!

• Homemade dressing. This is the extra mile that makes a difference when it comes to flavor. If you have store-bought dressing and are in a rush — go for it. But if you’re feel up for a few extra minutes, you will be rewarded by making your own dressing! Caesar dressing traditionally have sardines in it. Personally, I prefer a mellower flavor, so I use a dash of Worcestershire Sauce. It’s also way easier to keep on hand!

• Parmesan!! You can’t make a caesar without this key ingredient. It goes into both the dressing and the salad.

Butternut Squash & Dinosaur Kale Caesar Salad

Published October 3, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 1-2   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Salad:
• 1 pound diced butternut squash (1-inch cubes)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 bunch dinosaur (lacinato) kale, stems removed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon finely grated parmesan

For the Dressing:
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use this brand)
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (according to your tastes)
• 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450°F. Spread cubed butternut squash out on a sheet pan, and drizzle with avocado oil. Stir until each piece is until coated in oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place in oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until squash is golden on edges and tender through. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
2. While the squash cooks, prep the kale and salad dressing. First, chop the kale into bite sized pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and add 1/8 teaspoon salt. Then, rub the kale with your fingers until it is tender and bright green (This makes it easier to eat and digest the kale raw). Set bowl aside.
3. Make the dressing: combine all ingredients for dressing, and whisk until creamy. Pour dressing over kale, and toss kale until evening coated in the dressing. Then, plate the kale on serving plates. Top with parmesan and roasted butternut squash. Serve.