Fresh fruits and vegetables this time of year are from a limited number of options. We have hit a wall with roasted parsnips and carrots, no matter how delicious a recipe. Instead, we have three recipes that use light and lively dressings to make some winter dinner salads that will brighten up your dinner plate. Try the Winter Slaw with Chicken, Pomegranate, and Toasted Pine Nuts for a make ahead dinner or lunch. We liked the Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges and Medjool Dates for its warm spices and sweet dates. The Winter Bean Salad with Fennel and Clementines made us look forward to lunches with friends but will be delicious as a light supper until then. Any of these recipes will shake up your roasted dinner routine and (hopefully) bring a little winter thaw right into your kitchen.
Winter Slaw with Chicken, Pomegranate, and Toasted Pine Nuts from Amy Casey Cooks, Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges and Medjool Dates from Food and Wine, Winter Bean Salad with Fennel and Clementines from Midwest Living
Winter Slaw with Chicken, Pomegranate, and Toasted Pine Nuts: Amy Casey Cooks
Crunchy cabbage and carrots are the base of this salad, which is a good thing if you’re looking for new ways to use that farmer’s market cabbage. Add in pine nuts and pomegranate and you have a twist on a slaw that we loved for a light dinner.
Tips:
- Use your farmer’s market cabbage, a bag of shredded cabbage and carrots, or even broccoli slaw. All were delicious.
- Kate ended up slicing the red onions thinly to avoid bigger bites of onions and will do that next time. Betsy omitted the onion and it was still a hit.
- Kate ended up using almost all the dressing instead of the smaller amount called for in the recipe. Let your taste and eyes be your guide.
- This kept for at least two days in the refrigerator and was a wonderful lunch option.
Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges and Medjool Dates: Food and Wine
When you can’t eat one more baby carrot, a salad like this will wake up your palate. The dressing has cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne to warm you up while orange supremes and dates add sweetness. Winter carrots never had it so good.
Tips:
- Consider this as an option to change up your regular rotation of sides for roast salmon or a rotisserie chicken.
- We both julienned the carrots but a quicker option may be a bag of shredded carrots in the produce aisle. Same shape, a lot less work.
Winter Bean Salad with Fennel and Clementines: Midwest Living
Clementines are officially a winter staple in our houses. Easy to eat, long keepers, and a bit of bright flavor in the cold. When you’re tired of eating them out of hand, try out this salad. The citrus adds a bit of zing to a salad of white beans, crisp fennel, and spicy arugula. Plated as suggested, it was an elegant dinner for a dark winter night.
Tips:
- To make ahead or for smaller households, toss the beans, parsley, onion, and fennel all together and spoon over the lettuce you’ll be eating that night. Keep the bean and vegetable mixture in a container and serve with fresh lettuce each time to prevent icky wilted arugula.
- The white beans do make this a lighter dinner but if you’re looking for a more substantial meal, roast chicken thighs or cod would be nice on the side.
From the Smorgasbord:
We had so much fun on our cookalong this month. We cooked from Pinch of Yum and found all sorts of recipes. Like Easy Crockpot Carnitas, Cookie Dough Energy Bites, Feel Good Zucchini Muffins, and Greek Baked Orzo. Find out what else everyone cooked on our Facebook group. Join us this month as we cook along to Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
If you want to have a cocktail and appetizers with us, join our Patreon. Find out how over on the Dinner Sisters’ Patreon Page.
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