Crisp Chickpea & Kale Salad w/ Apricot, Fried Fennel & Tahini Avocado Goddess Dressing (Vegan, Gluten Free

• Vegetarian
• Gluten free

• Produce

  • 4 Apricots, small sweet wedges pitted and cut into
  • 1 Chickpeas, crisp
  • 1 Fennel, small bulb
  • 1 bunch Lacinato aka dinosaur kale
  • 5 Radishes, small red

• Condiments

  • 1 Tahini avocado goddess dressing

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 sprinkle Celtic sea salt

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 2 tsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp White wine vinegar

Found on willfrolicforfood.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Lacinato aka Dinosaur kale, washed, de-ribbed, and chopped roughly
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 small fennel bulb, end sliced off and discarded, bulb sliced thinly (reserve the soft greens for another meal)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• sprinkle of Celtic sea salt
• 5-6 small red radishes, leaves removed sliced thinly into rounds
• 4-5 small, sweet apricots, pitted and cut into wedges
• crisp chickpeas
• Optional: hard goat cheese, like Cyprus Grove Midnight Moon, to shave over top
• tahini avocado goddess dressing
• optional: handful sesame seeds, to garnish
• 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup if vegan)
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ ripe avocado
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 medjool date, pitted
• 1 teaspoon mellow white miso paste
• ¼ cup water (or more, depending on how thick you prefer your dressing to be)
• pinch cayenne, or more to taste
• Celtic sea salt, to taste

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the chopped kale with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar and massage for 3-5 minutes with your hands, until the kale takes on an almost silky texture. Set aside.
• Place a cast iron pan (or any wide sauté pan) over medium heat.
• Once the pan is good and hot, add the sliced fennel and dry-fry for 5-8 minutes, flipping the slices occasionally, until the fennel begins to brown.
• Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and fry further 2-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• In your salad bowl, combine the massaged kale, fried fennel, radishes, apricot slices, crisp chickpeas and some shaved hard goat cheese and toss to combine. Plate each salad, top with more goat cheese, and dollop the dressing as you please on each salad, to the liking of each person. Pair with a crisp, dry cider or very dry, floral sparkling wine with notes of apple.
• Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Pat dry the chickpeas with paper towels or kitchen towels until theyre mostly dry. Spread the chickpeas out on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake 5-10 minutes, until the moisture has mostly evaporated and theyre reasonably dry.
• While the chickpeas are in the oven, mix together the olive oil, honey (or maple syrup), smoked paprika, and nutritional yeast in a small bowl.
• Remove the chickpeas from the oven and pour them into a medium mixing bowl.
• Pour the dressing over top and stir to evenly coat the chickpeas.
• Spread the chickpeas back out on the parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake 15-20 minutes more, until the chickpeas begin to crisp up and caramelize.
• Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before handling.
• In the bowl of a high powered blender, combine the avocado, tahini, vinegar, lemon, date, miso, water, and cayenne.
• Blend until smooth and creamy.
• Add more water to your liking, until you reach the thickness you prefer. Add salt, to taste.