When you eat salads as often as I do, variety is key.
And this particular salad is my new favorite combination.
With my pregnancy, food combining hasn’t been a priority up to this point. Lately, I’ve found it much more important to find appealing ways to eat healthy foods consistently, rather than worry about any rules that may limit my options. I would encourage the same sort of leniency to any readers or clients who are struggling with their own healthy eating habits, or a “perfectionist” mentality. In the long run, it’s much more important to eat real, whole foods consistently, without yo-yo dieting, so whatever makes them appealing to you should be the priority!
This tasty salad features nutrient-rich baby kale and spinach, topped with sweet pears, tangy feta cheese, and a tart lemon dressing. Pears are a nutritional powerhouse, particularly for expecting mothers, providing a hefty dose of fiber, magnesium, calcium, and potassium, plus folate–> a water-soluble B vitamin that is essential for fetal development. Baby greens, such as baby kale and spinach, tend to be more tender, nutritious, and milder in flavor than mature varieties, but feel free to use any greens you like in this tasty combination.
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Kale, Pear & Feta Salad
serves up to 6
Ingredients:
For the Lemon Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of sea salt
To assemble the salad:
Assorted baby kale, spinach or chard, as desired
1/2 ripe pear, sliced, per serving
1 oz. crumbled feta, per serving (use goat’s milk feta for best digestion)
Directions:
To prepare the dressing, combine the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, oregano and salt in a glass mason jar, and shake well to emulsify. Adjust any flavors to your taste.
To assemble the salad, toss each serving of baby greens with 1-2 tablespoons of dressing, and allow to marinate for 10 minutes. Top each serving with 1/2 ripe pear, sliced and 1 ounce of crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Kale, Pear & Feta Salad
Ingredients
For the Lemon Dressing:
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of sea salt
To assemble the salad:
- Assorted baby kale , spinach or chard, as desired
- 1/2 ripe pear , sliced, per serving
- 1 oz . crumbled feta , per serving (use goat's milk feta for best digestion)
Instructions
- To prepare the dressing, combine the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, oregano and salt in a glass mason jar, and shake well to emulsify. Adjust any flavors to your taste.
- To assemble the salad, toss each serving of baby greens with 1-2 tablespoons of dressing, and allow to marinate for 10 minutes. Top each serving with 1/2 ripe pear, sliced and 1 ounce of crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 167, Fat: 15g, Carbohydrates: 8g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 3g
Enjoy!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite salad combination lately?
I love the combination of pear and feta! I bet it’s fabulous with that lemony dressing. Baby kale is a nice change-up, too.
Sounds delicious! I can’t have the dairy due to health issues, but I know it would be great. I love ripe juicy pears. I’ll have to think of a tasty substitute for the feta!
I like that you are a bit relaxed about the food combining when you’re not feeling well. I try to eat the best way I can as well, but sometimes I have issues eating certain things due to not feeling well. So I kind of know what you are going through when it comes to choosing what you can stomach. I still make healthy choices as well, but when I’m not feeling well I can’t eat a lot of raw. I find that I need more cooked foods and starchy things like toast and potatoes.
Anyway, as always I enjoy your posts! And happy eating for you and for the miracle in your belly! 🙂
I recognize that plate! Anthropologie 🙂 ? Love that store 🙂
Made this for lunch today and it was AMAZING!!! Thanks for another great recipe Megan!
I also get in salad ruts. So I love ideas for mixing it up. I’ve been craving cobb salads so maybe I’ll throw that in the mix next week.
Hi Megan and all!:). Megan–I have recently been introduced to your blog, and it is absolutely amazing! The recipes are inspired and inspiring. Keep up the rockin’ work!:)
I do a variation on this salad–although miscombined:). I’ve been really into spinach with honey-glazed strawberries, feta, and toasted walnuts(or almonds!). I dress it with a homemade olive oil, lemon, and balsamic vinegarette. It tastes like spring to me:)–sweet and savory. And it may not be properly combined, but the flavors seem to combine perfectly!:). Ill have to try this with pear. Thanks again, megan, for sharing these inspired meals and ideas!:) Happy spring all!
The salad and plate look beautiful!
Hi Wendy, I too love your recipes and always look forward to a new post. Can mejool dates replace the maple syrup? And is one better than the other?
Hi is there a replacement for maple syrup I can use that’s candida diet friendly?
Thanks!
You can use stevia to taste, if you prefer.
Your salad looks so fresh. I love the combination of lemon dressing and kale.
Substituted the feta for avocado and used raw honey in place of maple syrup. Absolutely delicious! Going to make another one today because it was so good 🙂
Could you recommend a specific Dijon mustard to use in this recipe? Can’t wait to try this! It’s looks delicious!
can i replace the pears with grilled peaches?will the dressing go?
Trying to blend your peach salad recipe with this one!
I think that’s worth a shot!
Winner with our family! Thanks much for sharing
So delicious! and you could also use the Poppy seeds salad dressing for this one 🙂 SO good!
Thanks Detoxinista for so many great ideas and recipes. I’m a mom of two boys and they love cooking your recipes with me, extra bonus, because most of them are super quick and easy.
This was so easy and perfect for fall – I’ll have this on repeat in our house!