Carrot, Kale, and Radish Salad with Yogurt and Mint

December Greenmarket in NYC,These are some hearty little veggies!!

Lightening it up in the new year is usually both a blessing and a challenge.  After all the heavy holiday foods and hearty winter dishes, it's hard to convert back to eating lighter fare, but also feels good to do so.  While it's the new year and right about now most people try to go back to making better food choices, lots of seasonal vegetables are still mostly starchy (other than dark greens and cabbage, of course).  I am talking root vegetables here.  I love them so much.  All of them.  Rutabagas, parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, taro root, celeriac.  Yum, yum, yum!  While they are all healthy and nutrient-dense foods, they are also pretty hefty and don't really go along with the "lightening up" theme.

Here is a seasonal recipe using roots that is along the lighter side of things.  Radishes are cleansing, balancing, and great for digestion.  Carrots sweeten it up and are easy to find organic.  The dark leafy greens round it out.

Try a new recipe this weekend and follow through with those crazy resolutions.

Carrot, Kale, and Radish Salad with Yogurt and Mint

1 bunch lacinato kale (aka dinosuaur kale, aka Tuscan kale)
1 lb carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated
1 lb radishes (a mix of red, daikon, and whatever else you find is great!), grated or sliced thin on mandoline
2 scallions, chopped
2 T chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup hunza raisins (look for them in a great bulk section) or golden raisins
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 t white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 t freshly minced ginger
1 1/4 t honey or agave nectar
3/4 cup plain yogurt (Greek, nonfat, whatever you like)
cayenne or Sriracha, optional

Bring a big soup-pot of water to a boil with a few tablespoons of sea salt.  Wash and roughly chop the kale.
Blanch kale in the boiling water for 1 minute and drain immediately.  Spin in a salad spinner to remove excess water, if desired.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, prepped radishes, scallions, mint, and currants.  Add salt and pepper and toss together until evenly mixed.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and honey or agave nectar.  Add yogurt and whisk until uniform.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Add a little cayenne powder or Sriracha for a kick.

Add yogurt dressing and kale to the carrots and radishes. Mix thoroughly.

For a nicer presentation, you could leave the kale out of the mix and arrange it on plates, then top it with the carrot and radish salad.  Either way it's delicious!