This is a very fulfilling Kale Roasted Carrot Salad! The roasted peppers with sesame oil are exquisite and the carrot’s soft texture complements the crunchy veggies. I could eat this salad every day!
Robby and I visited the Filoli House and Botanical Gardens last Saturday. There are 16 acres of gardens that are gorgeous and full of flowers, lawns and ponds! The architecture and garden designs are from the first part of the twentieth century. It is mostly Georgian style along with some Stuart details and a Spanish tiled roof. All of this reflects the creativity of the Golden Age of California. The house has forty-three rooms, 17 of them being bathrooms. Check out their website.
After a day out, it’s nice to come home to this hearty salad. I made everything the day before. I prepared the dressing, roasted the carrots, chopped and washed the veggies and de-ribbed and chopped the kale. I kept everything in separate containers and mixed them together when I was ready to eat it! You can warm up the carrots if you like.
This is the perfect salad for a nice crisp sake, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc or a Rosé.
Kale Roasted Carrot Salad Recipe:
4 – 6 servings
Roasted Carrots
- 3 to 4 Carrots – batoned
- 1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- Dash of salt
- Black or White Sesame Seeds
Vinaigrette – 2 1/2 Cups
- 1 1/2 pounds (about 4) Red Bell Peppers – roasted – pureed
- 1/2 Cup + 3 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1/4 Cup Brown Rice Vinegar
- 1/3 Cup Tamari Sauce
- 2 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Hot Chili Sauce like Sriracha (Optional)
Salad
- Kale – washed – de-ribbed – thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cup Green Onion – thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cup Red Cabbage – minced
- 8 Radishes (about 1 cup) – matchsticks
- 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper – remove stem, seeds and ribs – thinly slice then cut slices in half
- 1 Cucumber – cut in half, deseeded and sliced
- 1 Cup Fresh Basil – torn
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
Roast peppers on the stovetop on medium-high heat. A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove. Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs. When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
Take a paper towel and rub off the char. It’s ok to leave a little of the char. Slice in half and remove the seeds and stems.
Wash the kale and tear off the main rib by holding the end of the stem and sliding off the leaves, dry, then chop into thin strips.
Put the kale in a large bowl a tablespoon of sesame oil and massage the oil into the kale. Add the onions, cabbage, radishes,
bell pepper, cucumber, basil and cilantro. Mix in the dressing or top onto individual salads. Top with the warm carrots.
Health Benefits:
Kale is low in calories, high in fiber and it is a loaded with antioxidants which help detox the liver. It is also an anti-inflammatory with omega-3 fatty acids, which is helpful for arthritis, joint pain and asthma. Kale has more Iron than beef and more calcium than milk which helps prevents osteoporosis, joint flexibility and helps maintain normal bone health. It is great for cardiovascular support that helps in lowering cholesterol. It is really high in vitamin A, C, and super high in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K (anyone taking anticoagulants should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K that may interfere with the drugs.) More on kale
Carrots contain beta-carotene that is then converted into vitamin A in your liver and helps restore vision. They lower the risk of coronary heart disease and are high in antioxidants that help in cancer prevention. They may also help with blood sugar regulation, delay the effects of aging, and improve the immune system.
Red Bell Peppers are matured green bell peppers and have more nutrition as they mature. They are super high in vitamin A which helps to support healthy eyesight, especially night vision and are extremely high in vitamin C, so much so they have twice as much as an orange which makes it really good for the skin. Red peppers are one of the highest veggies in lycopene and have been successfully tested in the prevention of many cancers. They have a good source of the antioxidant mineral manganese and B-complex and vitamin E. They help reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol, helps controls diabetes and helps reduce pain. They are also a good source of fiber, folate, vitamin K, molybdenum and manganese.
