Massaged Kale Salad with Pomegranate & Delicata Squash

Update: I added new photos of this recipe on 11/13/2017. The recipe is the same and still delicious! Original photo is at the bottom. 

Pomegranate seeds are the sweet taste of winter on it's way. They're a little burst of tart juice, a spot of brightness in the otherwise dreary winter season. Pomegranates were the hallmark of the winter season at my dad house -- the minute I came home to pomegranates, I knew that the holidays weren't far off. We always just ate them plain, straight out of the rind, while sitting on the porch (the deep red juice was too dangerous to mess with inside). This was before you could buy pomegranates pre-deseeded, and it was sweeter that way: every little gem had to be worked for. 

I still buy my pomegranates whole, and I still think they taste better when you do the deseeding for yourself. Most of the time, I still eat them plain, too. When I do add them to dishes, they're simple, like this salad. 

I have been sooooo ready for salads this week-- hearty, nourishing, big bowl salads. Maybe it to counteract the pie? All I know is that I can't get enough brightly colored produce in my life right now.  And let me tell you, the pomegranate seeds make this salad taste like a big holiday treat to me! (Not to mention the delicata squash, which is also pretty high on my end-of-fall list of favorites). 

And the contrast between the creamy goat cheese and those tart pomegranate seeds? Now that's where it's at.  

Massaged Kale Salad with Pomegranate & Delicata Squash

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

This salad gets a burst of freshness from the pomegranate, creaminess from the squash, and bitter bite from the greens.

Serves: 5   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 delicata squash
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, for roasting squash
• Salt & pepper
• 1 bunch red kale
• Juice from 1/2 orange
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for dressing
• 1/2 cup pomegranate perils
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles (optional, use hazelnuts instead)
• A few cracks of black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 450°F. Slice the delicata squash in half, and remove the seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch thick crescents, and toss in avocado oil. Spread out on baking pan, and season with salt & pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until squash is cooked through and golden. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, massage the kale: remove the stems from the kale, and set aside. Place the leafy bits in a salad bowl, and squeeze orange juice over the leaves. Sprinkle with salt. Using your hands, massage the kale until it begins to soften. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Top with red onion, pomegranate perils, cooked delicata squash, and goat cheese crumbles. Season with freshly cracked pepper. Serve.

Grain-Free Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars

I gotta say-- as cliche as it may sound, I never thought I'd turn out quite so much like my parents. If you had offered me a slice of pecan pie 10 years ago, I probably would've passed it up, and left more for my dad, who loves the stuff. Nowadays, I jump on the opportunity to make pecan pie, and am happy to eat it all myself. 

The first bite still makes me think of my dad, but then I'm overwhelmed by Oh my gosh, soooo gooood thoughts, and I just keep on munching. 

My mom, on the other hand was more about pumpkin pie. She would spend the week leading up to Thanksgiving pouring over copies of Living and other foodie magazines, earmarking her favorites pumpkin pie recipes (along with stuffing recipes, biscuit recipes, etc). When the big day finally came, she'd make all of the classics, with funny twists and tasteful turns. Nonsense, right? I would never spend weeks searching for every odd version of pecan pie and then finally settle on making something completely different... 😉

And if you were to ask how I decided to make Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars instead of regular pecan pie, I'd probably open my mouth to explain. In a voice just like my mom's, I'd say something like "Oh, you know, I just was experimenting," because that's the type of thing I heard her say my whole life. 

But sometimes, experiments pay off: these gooey puppies are caramelly, nutty, and crunchy. They're sticky, but no too sweet. They don't need whipped cream/whipped coconut cream/ice cream just to cut the sweetness, but... we all know that whipped cream isn't really optional when it comes to pie.

Grain-Free Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

A thick shortbread-like crust topped with a gooey layer of maple butter filling and toasted pecans. Finished with flake sea salt.

Serves: 12   |    Total Time: 1.5 - 2 hours

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Ingredients:

• 1 recipe Paleo Pie Crust dough (unbaked)
• 1 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoons arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon cold water
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Make the pie crust dough according to instructions. Then, press the dough into the bottom of a 9x9 pan, working the dough so that the crust goes about 1/4 inch up the side of the pan (this creates a reservoir for the filling). The bottom of the crust will be around 1/2 centimeter thick. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in syrup, and cook until mixture is bubbling, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly, 5-6 minutes. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder and water. Whisk in milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add warm butter mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth. Pour filling into pie shell, then arrange pecans evenly on top
3. Bake until pie is puffed and set along edges, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Citrus, Spice and Wine Poached Pears (Paleo & Vegan)

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Let's talk about pears. Sweet, juicy pears. They're a winter-time gift when other fruits are sparse. The bosc pear season is long, spanning most of the coldest days of the year. In the olden days, pears and citrus fruits were literally gifts, stuffed into stockings. Today, after a week (or more) of holiday dinners, desserts, and cookies, these pears are a light dessert for ringing in the new year. 

The best part about this dessert (other than eating it, of course), is filling the house with the aroma of cloves steeped in honey and fruit (and, ok--you caught me, drinking the fruit and spice flavored wine that results... by the mug full). (While we're being honest... that fruity mulled wine, still steaming is really the cocktail I'll be craving on New Year's Eve!).

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This recipe is simple and elegant all at once: a few ingredients in a pot, a bit of time, and a glimmering pear in sweet fragranced sauce. It's also totally New Year's Resolution friendly, but since it's still 2014, you can serve these babies warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of coconut cream! Trust me. Go for it. You can skip the toppings next year. 

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Citrus, Spice and Wine Poached Pears

4 bosc pears 

3 cups fruity white wine

1 cup water

2 tablespoons honey

10 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Peel the skin from the pears. If you wish, remove the pit of the pear by cutting in from the bottom with a pear knife and removing the core. 

2. Bring the remaining ingredients to a simmer in a large pot. Arrange the pears in a single layer in the simmering wine mixture. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered, until pears are tender (poke it with a fork to test it). 

3. Remove the pears from the pot and set aside. Bring the wine mixture to a boil. Allow the wine mixture to reduce for about 20-30 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant and the liquid begins to thicken (you may need more or less time depending on the size of your pot--check on it occasionally). Once the liquid has thickened, turn off the heat and allow it to come to room temperature. 

4. Serve the pears at room temperature or warm on a small rimmed plates or in bowls, drizzled with the wine sauce. Add chocolate syrup, paleo ice cream, or coconut cream.