kale and rainbow chard salad with peaches, blackberries & pinenuts

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i first made this salad a couple of years ago when i was making dinner for some vegan friends.  i wanted a big, hearty, delicious, packed-with-flavor salad that was also full of nutrients.  this fit the bill perfectly.  kale mixed with sweet white peaches, sweet/tart blackberries, green onions, dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts.  how good does that sound?

the best way i can describe the process of making this salad is "ceviche like".  ceviche is the latin american dish where fresh fish is "cooked" in lemon or lime juice. the fish is marinated in the citrus juice and this process turns it firm and opaque...so it looks and tastes like it has been cooked.  the kale salad is a bit like that as it marinates in the vinaigrette for a minimum of 4 hours which wilts it just a bit and softens and sweetens the greens.  this is the perfect potluck salad...the dish you can depend on because you can make it in the morning and let it sit all day.  it travels very well.

it is kale week at foodnetwork's fall fest...the perfect time to finally blog about this recipe.  since it is early fall as i write this post, peaches and blackberries are still in season so that is what i used today but the salad is equally delicious with apricots, nectarines, plums, apples and/or pears.  just ensure you use whatever is in season and looks good at the farmers' market that day. (or from your garden).  and, if you are not serving vegan friends, a lovely goat cheese or parmigiano reggiano is wonderful with this dish.  enjoy!

kale and rainbow chard salad with peaches, blackberries & pine nuts
vinaigrette
1/8 cup organic seasoned rice vinegar*
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper

salad
1/2 bunch kale and 1/2 bunch rainbow chard, remove stems below the leaves. reserve stems for another use...like your green smoothies.  chop kale  and chard leaves into large bite sized pieces. (note, you can make this with all kale or all chard)
2 white peaches, chopped into bite sized pieces
6 oz blackberries
4 green onions chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper

make vinaigrette:  combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk until combined.  set aside
make salad:  combine all ingredients in large bowl.  pour vinaigrette over salad and toss to combine.  ensure salad is well mixed.  cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.  remove from fridge, toss again and taste.  adjust seasonings if desired.  may be made up to 12 hours in advance.
**i suggest you use organic seasoned rice vinegar.  the regular kind contains high fructose corn syrup.  the organic version contains organic sugar.  or buy plain rice vinegar and sweeten with organic coconut sugar**

other greens recipes you may enjoy:
southern greens, napa farmhouse style
rainbow chard frittata
yellow chard bruschetta



check out the delicious sounding kale recipes from the other participating bloggers.  fall fest starts at noon on wednesday.

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