Happy Vacation!  To all my teacher friends out there I know that these last few weeks have been filled with projects, work shares, exhaustion, and celebration.  You’ve made it and now it’s time to put your feet up and chill. I’ll be heading to Vermont in the morning and can’t wait to make the largest mug of hot chocolate and sit in front of the fire with my book for hours.

I used this recipe by detoxinista to make the salad and appreciated the dressing in particular! We served it with our beef wellington, and it worked perfectly next to such a hearty dish.  I love when I find new salads that are simple, packed with healthy ingredients, and yet the dressing makes it a unique, memorable meal.  Lots of clean plates after this one – thank you detoxinista!

I’ll be taking a small break until the new year but look forward to coming back in January with fresh dishes. But, for now, I’ll be busy cooking up many traditional holiday dishes like my Baba’s pirohi, borscht, my mom’s favorite Christmas morning make ahead broccoli and sausage strata, European Cream of Barley Soup, and more!  What are your traditional holiday dishes?

Kale Salad with Pear and Feta

• Servings: 5-6
• Time: 5 prep + 10 cook = 15 mins
• Print

This hearty and healthy salad is a perfect fall first course!

Ingredients

• 1 lemon – juiced
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1.5 teaspoons of pure maple syrup
• 6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• Pinch of sea salt and pepper
• 1 large bunch of baby kale
• Ripe pears (1/2 pear per person)
• Apx 1 oz of feta cheese per person

Steps & Notes

1. Prepare the dressing by combining the lemon juice, dijon, syrup, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Shake well so that it fully combines. Adjust as necessary.
2. Toss the kale with the dressing and use your hands to fully mix and gently massage. Let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Serve each plate with pear and feta cheese.
4. Enjoy!