California Sunset Salad

This fresh-from-the-organic-farmer's-market salad is packed with healthy goodies. Everything is heavily chopped using a sturdy chef's knife. The kale shredded into skinny slices that are ready to absorb lots of flavor, the beets cubed and chopped into tiny crunchy bits and the carrots diced too. This is a chop-chop-chop chopped style salad. It is lightly dressed and easy to make. The light and lovely flavors are energizing and cleansing. Each bite is bursting with vitamins A and C, iron, fiber, calcium, protein and plenty of sunshine. A generous dollop of fresh guacamole of top, some antioxidant-rich purple rice too. This Sunset Salad will have you daydreaming of dinnertime.

The goodies? Finely chopped organic dinosaur kale, diced organic carrots, diced organic red beets, chopped pistachios, apple cider vinegar, sweet agave or maple syrup, lemon juice, diced tomato, fresh guacamole, satsumas and a few spices too. Warm black/purple rice on the side boosts the oomph of this salad a bit. Even more oomph? Add some cooked beans, tofu cubes, skillet-popped lentils or tempeh bacon slices. Get my California Sunset Salad recipe ahead...

These guys sleep all day and wake up at sunset.

But I like to start thinking about dinner as the golden glowing sun starts to dip beneath the horizon.

chop, chop, chop..

Sunset Salad. This always happens to me. I spend a good hour chopping, smiling and spinning in the kitchen making something slowly, happily and casually. Then it turns out to be something I want to share with you guys here on my blog. Then I lift my head and all I see is a golden, pink glow out my window. Sunset! Great for dinnertime, bad for food photography. Well despite the sinking sun, I whipped out a few shots to share this energizing, healthy, glow-infusing salad with you all. It was an amazing dinner spread: this salad, side of black rice and a creamy roasted sweet potato soup to start.

California Sunset Salad
3 servings

1 large bunch dinosaur kale, organic - finely chopped (6-7 cups)
1 beet, peeled and finely chopped
4 medium carrots, organic - diced
⅓ cup pistachios, chopped

dressing:
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2-3 teaspoon walnut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
2 teaspoon liquid sweetener (agave, maple, brown rice..)
¼ teaspoon coriander
a few pinches of salt and pepper (to taste)
optional: 1-2 teaspoon tahini or melted nut butter for added richness

easy guacamole:
1-2 avocados
1 lemon or 2 limes
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
a few pinches of salt and pepper
cayenne to taste

black rice:
⅓ cup dry black rice
⅔ cup water
pinch of salt

garnish on top:
1-2 satsumas, peeled and sliced
1 small tomato, organic - diced

Directions:

1. Start off by washing your veggies in warm water very well. Rinse in cold water to finish. I love using fruit and veggie wash when using farmer's market veggies.

2. Start chopping! This is a prep-heavy salad because part of the deliciousness is that all the veggies are finely diced, chopped and shredded. I spent a good 2-3 minutes finely chopping the kale into little bits. This way it is almost like a shredded "chopped" salad. Easier for flavors to mingle and absorb.

3. Add all the prepped veggies into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the vinegar, juice, oil and seasonings. Toss very well.

4. Place the salad in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour for best flavor.

5. Prep your side of purple rice and guacamole topping right before serving salad.

6. Serve salad in a bowl with guac on top, rice on the side and diced tomatoes on top too. Add more dressing if you'd like or add one of my vegan salad dressing here!

calorie estimate (with rice and guac) per serving (3 servings total)