Kale, Chard and Spinach "Signature Salad"

Every season brings new flavors to the table. Summer, sadly is in my rear view mirror. I confess, letting go of tomatoes is difficult for me. But how many tomato salads can one truly enjoy, before you crave a change.

Welcome FALL and a market full of new produce:  squashes, hearty greens, Brussels sprouts, apples, pears…. it is a good list to work with in the kitchen! With a new produce “palette” I wanted to create a fall inspired salad.

Out: tomatoes

In: grapes

Out: mixed baby greens

In: kale, spinach and chard
Out: cucumbers

In: walnuts

Out: Feta cheese

In: Gorgonzola

Out: fresh lemon juice

In: balsamic glaze

Composing a new seasonal salad is as easy as going to the market, engaging your senses, selecting a few ingredients that you like and tossing them together to create a “signature salad” – a salad of the season with your name on it.

Recipe

Jane’s Signature Fall Salad

1 bag Trader Joe’s “Power to the Greens”
(a mix of kale, chard and spinach)
1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
¼ cup slightly candied walnuts, roughly chopped
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (my new favorite, Trader Joe’s extra virgin California Estate olive oil)
Balsamic glaze
Procedure
1. Put greens into a large bowl and add all the ingredients except the olive oil and balsamic glaze. Toss gently to mix.
2. Drizzle the olive oil over greens just enough to coat the greens. Toss. Drizzle the balsamic glaze to taste and toss again.