Salad Archives - Deborah Kuhnen Culinary Nutrition

Fennel & Watermelon Salad

By Deborah Kuhnen|August 13th, 2014|gluten-free, grain-free, Salad|0 Comments|

(Credit for above photo to Krestan Kühnen).

I was shopping at a new (to our city) organic market last week and when I got to the checkout, the cashier told me I’d earned a free gift for spending over $50. She offered me the choice of 4 items, but the only one that really appealed to me was an organic watermelon. I asked her to choose one for me and she chose one that was literally larger than a 6 month old baby!

I used a large egg for size comparison.

After struggling to the car with this gargantuan thing and then manhandling it into the kitchen, I had to decide what the heck to do with it. Since it’s been pretty hot here lately, I thought a nice, fresh salad would be a good idea. I just made this up on the spot, but all three of us really enjoyed it. Then I gave the rest of the watermelon to my mum to use as they eat a lot more fruit than we do and their fridge is always a lot less full than ours is 🙂

Here’s what I did to make the salad…

To a large bowl, I added 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and S&P to taste.

To a large bowl, I added 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and S&P to taste. I whisked this together until emulsified.

Using a mandoline, I thinly sliced a large, organic fennel bulb into the bowl.

Also using the mandoline, I very thinly sliced 1/2 an organic, red onion into the bowl.

I added some minced fresh, organic mint. Admittedly it had seen better days!

Then I added about 4 cups of cubed watermelon.

And a cup of cubed feta cheese.

Then I added 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives.

I tossed it all together and topped with chopped, organic chives and a reserved fennel frond.

Fennel & Watermelon Salad

¼ cup roasted walnut oil
1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large organic fennel bulb
½ organic red onion
Handful fresh, organic mint
4 cups organic watermelon, cubed
1 cup cubed feta cheese
¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
Small bunch organic chives, chopped

Into a large bowl, add oil through S&P.
Whisk until emulsified.
Using a mandoline, thinly slice fennel into the bowl, reserving fronds.
Also using the mandoline, but on a finer setting, thinly slice the onion.
Add watermelon, cheese and olives and toss well.
Serve in individual bowls topped with chopped chives and fennel fronds.

Purple Prairie Barley Salad

By Deborah Kuhnen|August 19th, 2013|Salad|0 Comments|

Until last week, I had never heard of Purple Prairie Barley. I didn’t even know such a thing existed. I’ve been eating barley since I was little, but had only ever heard of whole, hulled, pot and pearl barley. It was at the Bulk Barn last week that I first came across this new (to me) kind of barley. Since I can never pass up an opportunity to try a new food, I had to buy some and give it a try. I took it home and got to work on it almost immediately and came up with this barley salad.

Here’s what I did…

This is what the Bulk Barn has to say about the purple barley.

And this is what it looks like dry.

I wanted to use it fairly quickly, so instead of soaking it overnight I decided to do the quick-soak method. I rinsed it several times, covered it with water in a small pot, brought it to the boil, then turned off the heat and covered it for an hour. Then I changed the water and simmered it until tender. It lost some of its pretty, purple colour after cooking.

I made a dressing with white balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, whole-grain mustard, Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I rinsed and drained the barley and then added it to the bowl with the dressing.

I added a bunch of chopped green onions

and a chopped red pepper.

Then I added some diced English cucumber and chopped yellow grape tomatoes.

I mixed it all together

and then I thought “hey, an avocado would be nice in this” so I diced one up and added it. The result was a delicious whole-grain salad.