By Genevieve
I know I've been posting a lot of blueberry recipes lately, but when Ontario fruits are in season, I try to use them in as many ways as possible before they're gone!
My last two blueberry recipes were both breakfast items, so today I'm sharing a recipe for a salad featuring blueberries along with fresh corn, avocado, kale, mint, and pumpkin seeds.
I first discovered the combination of corn and blueberries last summer after trying a version of this salad from Two Peas and Their Pod. I thought the natural sweetness of fresh corn off the cob paired well with blueberries and their shapes and textures complemented each other too.
This summer, I wanted to make my own version of a corn and blueberry salad. I considered just making a really simple salad of those two ingredients, but instead I wanted to bulk it up a bit more so I used shredded kale as the base of the dish and added an avocado in both the dressing and the salad itself to make it a bit more filling.
The dressing is a simple oil-vinegar-agave mixture but with pureed avocado to make it thick and creamy, mint leaves for a refreshing note and some minced shallot for a bit of a bite.
Once you've made the dressing, the rest of the salad can just be quickly thrown together - I didn't even bother to cook the corn first, since I wanted the kernels to keep their firm texture in the salad. If you've never tried raw corn before, I recommend eating it that way!
I love salads that have lots of different layers of texture like this one, from the juicy blueberries to the creamy avocado, with some crunch from the raw corn and toasted pumpkin seeds. I also love salads that are filling enough to eat as a main course for dinner, and this one fits that criteria too!
I have a feeling I'll be posting more corn recipes soon, since I just heard that Ontario corn is now available - yay!
Corn, Avocado & Blueberry Kale Salad
Ingredients:
Dressing
- 1/2 a ripe avocado (you'll use the other half in the salad)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Juice of half a lime
- 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp agave nectar or other sweetener
- 1-2 tbsp water
- Herbamare (or salt) and pepper
- 1 small shallot, minced
Salad
- ~2.5 cups shredded kale
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 cob sweet corn (I prefer it raw in this recipe but you can cook it first if you like)
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 a ripe avocado, diced
- ~10 small mint leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions:
To make the dressing, place the first six ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. Add enough water so that you can puree the ingredients until smooth (it should still be thick). Season to taste with herbamare and ground pepper. Stir in the minced shallot. Set aside.
To make the salad, place the shredded kale in a large bowl. Add about half of the dressing and massage it into the kale with your hands.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet on medium heat for a few minutes, until they are fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from pan and add to the kale. Slice the kernels off the corn and add them to the bowl, along with the blueberries, avocado, and sliced mint. Add the rest of the dressing and stir until is everything is mixed well. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Makes 1 large serving or 2 smaller servings.
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