Baby Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette + Dole Ambassador Spotlight

Did you know that May is National Salad Month?  If you are like me, then you are simply elated.  I probably eat salad 5 times per week and sometime twice a day – for lunch and dinner.  I love a salad with the freshest vegetables, a bit of crunch, grilled chicken and packed with flavor.  It is like love in a bowl – you get all of the right nutrition all in one convenient handy vessel.

I am an official ambassador for Dole Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.  Dole provided me with compensation for my time.  As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Shakespeare talked about “salad days”, he reflected to a time of youthful freshness like the days of May, when spring is at its peak.  Even though the nutritious value and fresh flavors of salads are relished year round, May has been awarded the honor of being National Salad Month and serves as a tasty reminder to eat more greens.  Americans love their salad with an all time high consumption rate of 73% of U.S. households serving salad regularly. 

Just like fashion, salads have their trendy moments.  From what I gather on the salad runway, anything with Kale is still red hot. Whether it is a kale Caesar, massaged kale or kale with oranges and marcona almonds – I believe Kale will be a classic dish on your table for years to come.  We can jump back to ancient times and round up the popular grains of the time – what’s old is new again.  Included in that popular resurgence is farro, chia seeds, quinoa, teff and kamut.  Lastly, I have seen many restaurants put their spin on the Italian chopped salad.  Whether it includes salami, cheese or avocado – the chop is going to be on menus for the foreseeable future.

I was thrilled when Dole reached out to me and asked if I would like to be an official Dole Ambassador for 2015.  It did not take me long to click the reply button and say yes.  Dole is one of those well respected brands that has a rich history and was founded in Hawaii in 1851.  They are the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables.  Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen foods, and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research. 

As part of being an ambassador for Dole, they are featuring thier chosen bloggers in a “spotlight” chat on their Facebook Fan Page.  I am excited that I am being featured on Wednesday, May 13^th at 5pmPST/8pm EST and you simply just click HERE.  To kick off my spotlight, I created a salad recipe especially for Dole.  It highlights Doles Baby Kale and shaved Brussels Sprouts along with a handmade Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette. 

Baby Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Salad

4 Cups Shaved Brussels Sprouts

4 Cups Dole Power Up Baby Kale

1 Cup Marcona Almonds, Rough Chop

½ Cup Pomegranate Seeds

Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and toss with ½ cup of the Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette.  Add more dressing if desired.

Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

1/3 Cup Meyer Lemon Juice

4 t. Lemon Zest

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 t. Dijon Mustard

2 t. Honey

¼ t. Salt

¼ t. Pepper

½ Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

Add all of the above ingredients to a pint mason jar.  Adhere tightly the lid and shake for 2 minutes until well combined.  Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator to let the flavor meld together.