Winter Panzanella w/ Cider Flax Vinaigrette
This winter panzanella is a delicious medley of flavors and textures, with roasted root vegetables, chioggia beets, topped with a cider flax vinaigrette.
Ingredients
The Roasted Veggies
- 1 Sweet Potato peeled and cut into small slices
- 8-10 Baby Purple Potatoes cut into small slices
- 1/2 White Onion cut into thin slices
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- A Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The Raw Veggies
- 1 Chioggia Beet Candy Cane, sliced thin on a mandoline
- A Few Handfuls of Kale
- Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
- A Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The Croutons
- 2-3 Slices Ezekiel or Whole Grain Bread
- A Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- A Sprinkle of Salt + Black Pepper
The Cider Flax Vinaigrette
- 1/3 Cup Flaxseed Oil
- 2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
Toppings
- Any nuts or seeds that you like I used pecans
Instructions
The Roasted Veggies
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Start by prepping your veggies - wash everything, peel the sweet potato and onion. Cut everything into small slices as directed. (If the slices are too big, they may not cook through.)
- In a bowl, toss the veggies with a drizzle of olive oil and the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake veggies for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway.
The Raw Veggies
- While the roasted veggies are roasting, prepare the raw veg. Wash and peel beets (if you can't find chioggia beets, any other kind will do), then slice thinly on a mandoline. Set aside.
- Take a few big handfuls of kale, and drizzle with fresh squeezed lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. Using your hands, "massage" olive oil and lemon into the kale. This helps break down the kale and makes it much easier to digest. When done, set aside.
The Croutons
- Take your slices of bread and cut into crouton shapes (see photos for reference). In a bowl, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, until everything is evenly coated.
- Then, bring a saute pan to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil-covered croutons and saute for a few minutes, stirring often, until brown and toasty. When done, remove from heat and set aside.
The Vinaigrette.
- Combine all vinaigrette ingredients into a blender, and blend on high until everything is smooth.
Putting It All Together
- To assemble your salad, start with a layer of the massaged kale in a large bowl. Then, layer in raw sliced beets, roasted veggies, and croutons. Top it all off with pecans, or any nut and seed that you like. Drizzle everything with the cider flax vinaigrette and mix well.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you don't have any flaxseed oil on hand, feel free to sub extra virgin olive oil.