Spinach Salad with Blackberries

In the summer I make salad for dinner.

Ingredients:

spinach

chicken strips

blackberries

avocado slices

red onion finely chopped

candied pecans

mini mozzarella balls

tomato slices

Vinaigrette:

10 blackberries, mashed

2 tablespoons balsamic 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons mustard

1 teaspoon soy sause

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid. Shake the ingredients to combine.  Set aside.

Place a few large handfuls of spinach in the middle of each plate. And add small handful of blackberries and some sliced chicken breast. 

Add small amounts of mozzarella balls and candied pecans. Slice some tomatoes and avocado. Add the diced red onion, 

Drizzle the salad with the blackberry vinaigrette. Enjoy! 

Spinach Salad with Apples

Because you eat with your eyes. Salads should be colorful and full of flavor.

Ingredients:

spinach

finely sliced apples

candied pecans

crumbled feta cheese

crumbled bacon

chopped red onion

Mustard Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Add a big handful of spinach to the middle of your plate. Place some thinly sliced apples in the middle of the plate.

Add a small handful of candied pecans (from Trader Joe's) and some crumbled feta.

Add a few pieces of crumbled bacon and chopped red onion. 

Combine all of the vinaigrette in a jar, Shake vigorously and drizzle over the salad. 

Enjoy!

Salad for Dinner

Dinner tonight was a salad with some leftover chicken. This is such and easy salad to make!

Ingredients:

Spring mix or baby spinach

Chopped Granny Smith apple (s)

Candied pecans (buy from Trader Joe's)

Crumbled Gorgonzola

Finely chopped red onion

Leftover chicken, sliced

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

3/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon dijion mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the spring mix, apple, gorgonzola, pecans and red onion.  In a small jar combine the vinergrette ingredients. Shake the jar and add a little dressing to the salad. It is unlikely that you would use all the dressing - unless you are making salad to feed 20 people.

Warm the leftover chicken and place the chicken slices on top of each salad plate.

This is also a lovely lunch to make when you like to have a nice lunch for friends.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

I have made this twice and it is so fresh and delicious. And I love making fresh salad dressing. I found this recipe on a blog that I follow called What Megan's Making. She has a lot of wonderful recipes - check out her blog if you have a minute.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

pinch of salt

pinch of fresh ground pepper

3/4 cup canola oil

6 cups baby spinach leaves

2 cups of strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cups pecans - toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, sugar, poppy seeds, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Whisking constantly slowly add the canola oil and continue to whisk until the vinaigrette is well combined. Then transfer the vinaigrette to a mason jar with a lid.

In a large salad bowl add the spinach, strawberries, red onion and pecans. Give the mason jar a good shake and add 1/2 of the vinaigrette  to the salad and gently toss. Put the other half of the vinaigrette in the refrigerator. Serve the salad immediately.

The next time we have  a BBQ - I think that I am going to double this recipe.

White Balsamic Homemade Salad Dressing

This is a really light and refreshing salad dressing. It tastes really fresh. Once you start making your own dressing it is harder to use the bottled stuff!

My son wanted to go to California Pizza Kitchen - so we took him! And I ordered a salad with white balsamic vinaigrette and grilled peaches. I decided to replicate the recipe at home starting with the salad dressing. I found this dressing on the Living Lou website. Check out her blog if you have a minute - she has a lot of great recipes.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, honey and oregano. Slowly mix in the olive oil and add the salt and pepper. Place the dressing in a glass jar and refrigerate.

Shake lightly before using.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Last week I bought some fat free Ranch dressing in the grocery store. What a mistake - it was so gross! I ended up throwing it away. And I really hate wasting food.

I make my own Ranch dressing most of the time - with fresh herbs. So I guess I am just used to a fresher taste. Try this dressing - it just takes a few minutes to make and you will really taste the difference.

3/4 cup mayonnaise (use really high quality, organic if possible)
3/4 cup sour cream (I use organic)
1 tablespoon olive oil
fresh lemon juice - squeeze the juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
1/8 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
dash of salt and fresh ground pepper

Now you have two choices. I make it both ways. You can whisk everything by hand in a medium size bowl or place everything in a blender and pulse for 10 seconds at a time.

Once everything is blended - put the dressing in an air-tight bottle or jar. Place the jar in the refrigerator where it will keep fresh for about 1 week.

I sometimes use fresh basil instead of the Italian parsley.  This is also a great dipping sauce. I use it for baby carrots, baked zucchini and  jumbo artichokes.