Tricolor Salad with Oranges, Olives & Kefir Herb Vinaigrette
Kefir, a drinkable fermented dairy product, is rich in probiotics — even more so than its better-known cousin, yogurt. Plus, its tangy, tart flavor makes it a fantastic counterpoint in recipes like this herby dressing. Shallots and chives lend flavor while acting as prebiotics, or “food” for the healthy bacteria in your gut.
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Fun Fact: Bitter foods trigger your gut microbiota to tell your brain to release ghrelin, often referred to as the “hunger hormone,” which may be why Europeans drink bitters before meals. In addition to stimulating appetite, ghrelin also aids digestion by stimulating bile flow, gastric acid and other digestive secretions.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 cup full-fat kefir, divided
- 3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp raw honey
- ½ tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
Salad
- 2 large oranges
- 1/2 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 small head radicchio, cored, halved and chopped
- 1 large or 2 small heads Belgian endive, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 2 cups packed baby kale
- 1/4 cup oil-cured Moroccan olives (or Kalamata olives), pitted and chopped
Preparation
- Make vinaigrette: In a small saucepan, combine oil and shallot. Place over low heat and cook just until shallot begins to sizzle. Continue cooking for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and pour into a blender or small food processor. Add ½ cup kefir, parsley, chives, tarragon, vinegar, orange zest, mustard and honey. Purée until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in remaining kefir. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make salad: Cut top and bottom off oranges. Cutting from top to bottom, slice peel and white pith off oranges. Slice oranges crosswise into rounds. To a large serving bowl, add oranges, fennel, radicchio, endive, kale and olives; gently toss to combine.
- Add ¼ cup of the vinaigrette to bowl and gently toss to coat. Add more vinaigrette, 1 tbsp at a time, if desired and toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired. (Cover and refrigerate any leftover vinaigrette for another use.)
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of salad and 1 tbsp vinaigrette
- Calories 116
- Carbohydrate Content 16 g
- Cholesterol Content 2 mg
- Fat Content 6 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 3 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 204 mg
- Sugar Content 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g