Category Archives: SALAD RECIPES

GRILLED TERIYAKI MARINATED/SAUCED FLANK STEAK  

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I love teriyaki. I don’t care if it’s chicken or beef, as long as the meat has lots of flavor and hasn’t been cooked to death. (Isn’t that a stupid statement. Anything you cook, be it meat or vegies, is already dead. But I digress.)

Anyway, I am currently on a mission to use up the meat in our freezer that Mr. C. has deemed “obviously abandoned”. And included in that category were two small packages of mystery meat. One contained a small piece of sirloin steak (as it turned out), and the other, half a flank steak.

So, while the meat was thawing, I went to work finding a new and exciting way to give this meat the respect it deserved. And I landed on this teriyaki marinade recipe from the heartnaptime.net site. (Great site BTW.)  

And OMG, what a wonderful teriyaki dinner we had last evening. Along with steamed brown rice, I prepared Teriyaki Salad Dressing over Romaine, Carrot, Celery, and Green Onions. (Recipe to be published in the next few days.) (But get a preview by scrolling down to find the recipe below.)

Now, this is not a wimpy marinade/sauce recipe. It is bold, brazen, and any other word you might think of to mean “holy moly powerful”! So, go slowly into that good sauce when it comes time to decorate the grilled meat before serving.

Well, that’s all I have to say today. Mr. C. has a gig in Anacortes at 3:00 this afternoon. So, I am going to keep this preface short and sweet. Which reminds me, this teriyaki marinade/sauce is not too sweet. A taste of honey, as the old song title goes, but not in the least bit overpoweringly sugary. Perfectly balanced.

So, next time you get a hankering for teriyaki, give this recipe a try. Easy, and relatively inexpensive to make. And better than most beef teriyaki you can find in restaurants.

Happy Saturday to all. And of course, peace and love from our home to yours.

½ c. low-sodium Tamari or soy sauce  

¼ c. water

2 T. toasted sesame oil

2 T. honey 

2 T.  Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2-3 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1½ lbs. flank steak, fat and silver skin removed 

sliced green onions, garnish   

Combine the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and ginger in a glass bowl. Whisk until combined. Pour 1/3rd of the marinade in a small pan. Set aside.

Add the flank steak to the remining marinade, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (Best when marinated for 4-6 hours.) Remove from fridge at least 30 minutes ahead of grilling.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  

Place the steak on the hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the steak over and grill another 2-3 minutes. For medium-rare (135-degrees). 

Remove from grill and let rest for about 5 minutes before thinly slicing on the diagonal. Serve with remaining marinade (now teriyaki sauce) which has been brought to a boil, reduced to simmer, and cooked for about 5 minutes.

TERIYAKI SALAD DRESSING FOR ROMAINE, CARROT, CELERY, AND GREEN ONIONS

For the dressing:

½ c. mayonnaise  

1 T. rice vinegar  

2 tsp. granulated sugar  

1 tsp. soy sauce

tiny pinch granulated garlic  

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

freshly ground black pepper (not too much)

Whisk together the mayo, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, granulated garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper in a covered container. Refrigerate before serving.

For the salad:

3-4 c. chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

½ c. shredded carrot

½ c. thinly sliced celery or cabbage

2 finely chopped green onions

Place in a bowl and toss lightly with salad dressing just before serving.

SEARED TUNA WITH SAUCE VIERGE  

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The other day Mr. C. and I were shopping at our local IGA here on the island. He happened to notice that in the freezer section with all the other seafood options, appeared a shrink-wrapped package of thick, boneless, skinless tuna steaks. He showed it to me and said, “what do you think?” I said, “let’s go for it!”. And oh, am I glad I said that! Because Nagi’s recipe on recipetineats.com for Tuna Steaks served with Sauce Vierge (slightly modified by me) is one of the best and easiest entrées I ever made or eaten. Absolutely delicious! And the whole meal had been exceedingly easy to prepare.

I served the fish with Easy Plain Polenta (recipe below) and steamed broccoli. Yum, yum, YUM!

So, if you too have ever wondered if frozen tuna was worth the effort, I can only tell you, my experience. The tuna was perfect. I let it thaw completely and then used paper towels to dry it off a bit. Then went from there with the recipe below.

I think the main reason the tuna was so perfect is because when fish is frozen within hours of harvest, the freezing process stops deterioration and actually preserves the freshness of the fish. Plus, when seafood is frozen at sea and sold still frozen, we the consumer get to decide when to defrost the fish and can thaw it right before cooking. So, will I be buying more frozen tuna next time I go to the store? You bet your sweet bippy!

And since I’m sure you were wondering – Sauce Vierge is the French version of salsa. Salsa apparently can be traced back to the Inca, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations of Central and South America. Whereas Sauce Vierge was popularized in the 1980s by Michel Guérard, a French chef, author, and one of the founders of nouvelle cuisine.

And since I needed to have “nouvelle cuisine” defined for me, I thought you might appreciate the definition too.

According to the Oxford dictionary, nouvelle cuisine is “a modern style of cooking that avoids rich, heavy foods and emphasizes the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation of the dishes.”

Well, that’s it for today. I am spending my week getting ready for a 3-band picnic here at Chez Carr next Sunday. So, I am spending a bit of time each day baking, mixing, shredding, dicing, whisking, etc., and generally dirtying up my kitchen in preparation for the gang. In other words, I am doing what I love. Feeding people, I know and love, and those I hope to know better. And trying in my own way to spread a little joy.

It’s a tough reality we are living through right now. Most of what is happening to our country makes no sense to most of us. It’s a tumultuous time, to say the least. So, getting together with friends and family and sharing a meal, or going for a hike, or teeing off for a round of golf, etc., can serve as a reminder of what is still wonderful about our own little corner of this crazy world. We need each other. And we all need to know we are not alone.

So, invite a friend over. Bake a batch of cookies and share them with your neighbors. Take someone a bouquet of flowers from your yard. In your own way, let people know how much they mean to you. It’s the simple gestures that make the most impact.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone

(Thank you Hal David.)

And as always, peace and love to all.       

For the Sauce Vierge: (make this before you cook the tuna steaks)

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. anchovy paste

¼ tsp. finely minced garlic

½ tsp. finely minced parsley

½ tsp. finely chopped basil

1 tsp. capers, drained and roughly chopped

pinch kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. finely diced shallot

6-8 cherry tomatoes, diced

6 kalamata olives, sliced   

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Taste and add more salt if needed.

For the Tuna Steaks:

8-12 oz. thick, boneless, skinless, tuna steaks

extra virgin olive oil

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

On a small baking pan or dinner plate, drizzle olive oil over the tuna. Smear the oil with your fingers over one side, then lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip and repeat.

Heat a skillet (preferably a skillet with grill lines) over high heat until smoking hot.

If your skillet is not well-seasoned, brush the skillet with olive oil or take pan off stove and spray with any cooking oil.

Place tuna steaks in the skillet and cook for 45 seconds.

Turn steak 45 degrees. Continue cooking for another 45 seconds.

Flip the tuna carefully, then leave for 1 minute or until the internal temperature in the middle reads 118-degrees. 

Remove tuna from skillet and place on a cutting board. Rest for 5 minutes. (The tuna will cool down to almost room temperature. That’s what you want!) Slice the steaks into 1-inch pieces. Plate the tuna and spoon the Sauce Vierge over the top. Then drizzle just a bit more olive oil over the whole mess. Serve immediately.

Great with Easy Plain Polenta. See recipe below.

EASY PLAIN POLENTA

1½ c. water

½ c. whole milk

rounded ¼ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. polenta (not instant)

2 T. unsalted butter 

In a medium saucepan, bring water, milk, salt, and pepper to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium. While whisking, slowly pour the polenta into your liquid over the course of about 1 minute. Take it slow! This ensures that there will be no lumps in your cooked polenta.

Once all the polenta is in the liquid, continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Then turn down the heat to low and cover the pan. The polenta should be gently bubbling but not fully simmering. Set a timer for 30 minutes and be sure to whisk the polenta every 5 minutes or so to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

After 30 minutes, test your polenta. It should be soft and creamy, with no lumps or graininess. If you want your polenta to be slightly thicker, let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Taste again and add more salt or butter if you want a more savory or salty flavor.

Great side dish or base for any prepared food that would be perfect over mashed potatoes, quinoa, rice, etc.   

BROCCOLI SALAD WITH BACON, DRIED CRANBERRIES, AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS  

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OK, I know. I already have 2 very similar broccoli salad recipes on this site. That’s because I REALLY LOVE BROCCOLI SALAD! But the one I served yesterday for our JazzVox pre-concert meal was even more spectacular than my other recipes. (Sorry guys, but the truth shall set me free!) I think it was the use of apple cider vinegar rather than another type of vinegar, and the addition of dried cranberries that made this version so amazing. Also, the fact that I made it the day before and let it sit overnight in the fridge. This I learned from Holly, creator of the spendwithpennies.com cooking blog. (A fabulous site BTW. You simply must check it out!) So, this is basically Holly’s recipe with a couple of minor ingredient amount changes of mine.

And I must say, this salad literally disappeared yesterday. One moment there was still some left in the bowl. The next time I looked, it was all gone. It might have been because of all the bacon. But I am choosing to believe that people are finally realizing that broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins C, K, and A. And that it also contains several important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and iron as well as several antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, β-carotene.

Anyway, if you want to make a broccoli salad that is sure to be a hit, this is the recipe for you. And it can be made ahead. And who doesn’t love that kind of recipe. Especially when entertaining.

Well, today is a down day for me. Not mentally, but after feeding 41 people yesterday, my body is rebelling at even getting up from my desk to grab a drink of water. (My body saying – You want me to walk all the way to the kitchen. Have you no compassion for tired legs and feet? Don’t you remember that the kitchen is your enemy? Etc. etc. ad nauseam!) So, my brain having a mind of its own, I am choosing to surrender and keep my butt firmly planted in my desk chair today.

But I’m still coherent enough to wish peace and love to all.

⅓ c. finely diced red onion

1 c. ice water

1 c. mayonnaise

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

8 c. broccoli florets and peeled stems, cut into bite-sized pieces and thoroughly dried

½ c. dried cranberries

½ c. sunflower seeds

1 c. cooked tiny meaty bacon pieces, plus more for garnish

Combine the red onion* and ice water in a small bowl. Make sure the onion is under water. Let the onion mellow out while you make the dressing and chop the veggies. Then drain the onion and pat dry really well before adding to the bowl with the other ingredients.  

Whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cranberries, sunflower seeds, bacon pieces, and drained and dried onion. Pour the dressing over all and mix well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight for best results. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with bacon.

*It seems to me that red onions seem to be getting “hotter” than I remember them being in the past. So, letting the cut onion spend some quality time in ice water helps reduce the hot or bite. This is true for other onions and shallots too.  

SIMPLE ITALIAN GREEN SALAD WITH LEMON AND PARMIGIANO REGGIANO DRESSING   

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OK, now for something healthy and mind boggling delicious.

As some of you know, salad is usually my least favorite dish to prepare. Why that is, I still have no idea even after all these decades of putting food on a table. Perhaps it’s the repetitious chore of washing the veggies, chopping the veggies, and drying the veggies that holds no challenge for me. After all, it’s not like preparing a perfect Beurre Blanc Sauce (recipe on this site BTW) for heaven’s sake. Chopping veggies for a salad is simply a cut-and-dried task! Where’s the adventure?

So, for me, the only redeeming feature, apart from my love of a good salad, is in making the dressing. And if possible, like in this salad, keeping the veggie prep to a minimum.

So, below you will find a recipe for a salad that is easy to prepare and scrumptious. And reasonably healthy as well! And isn’t that a perfect combination.  

Well, that’s it for today. We have a busy week ahead of us, so I plan to take it kind of easy today. Read my book this afternoon until I fall asleep in my chair. Then try a couple new recipes this evening for Egg Foo Young and broccoli in an Asian inspired sauce. If the recipes work, I will share them with you. If not, I will chock the whole thing up to trial and error. (The error being me trying the recipes in the first place! Or me putting my own spin on someone else’s perfectly good recipes and ruining them in the process. That I’m sure has happened more often than I care to admit. Even to myself!)

But as always, I keep on experimenting with food. Some people make art. (I used to do that.) Some folks make music. (I used to do that too.) Now, I just make a mess in my kitchen. And for me that’s the perfect way to spend my time.

Peace and love to all.

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste  

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 head red leaf lettuce, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 c. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper together in the bottom of a salad bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Just before serving, toss in the lettuce.  Add the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and toss again. Serve immediately.

QUINOA SALAD WITH FETA CHEESE AND SPINACH  

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I love it when the salad and side dish are one and the same. Of course, I can always go completely nuts and serve another veggie or homemade rolls or biscuits. But why? As in this case, I’ve got my side grain or starch dish and veggie (spinach) all in one bowl. And having only two dishes to prepare equates to less work and time spent in the kitchen. Which is becoming more and more appealing the older I get! And another wonderful thing about this salad; it is even better when made ahead. And who doesn’t love that option.  

When a combination dish is as delicious as this modified version of a recipe I found on the borrowedbites.com site, I truly feel like I have won the lottery. So, served with a simply prepared chicken breast, lamb or pork chop, or seasoned ground beef patty, dinner is on the table in no time flat. And this makes for a very nutritious and easy meal to prepare and fancy enough for even the most discerning guests.

So, I suggest you make this salad soon. It is truly delectable.

Well, that is all I have to say today. We have reservations this evening at the Mirkwood Public House in Arlington for dinner and a show. The show being “A Vaudeville Cirque Extravaganza” (New Old Time Chautauqua*), featuring the Flying Karamazov Brothers, the Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Band/Orchestra, and other vaudevillian luminaries. Should be fun. A little out of our normal entertainment framework. But isn’t that the way we grow. We try something new. We choose a new author, we visit a new land, we meet new people, we expand our horizons by letting go of our comfort zone. Not to the point of making ourselves uncomfortable. But as I have often said, I can put up with almost any type of entertainment, within the bounds of decency, for 2 hours. I may never want to hear or see this kind of show again. But then I at least have real experience with, not just some pre-conceived idea of why I don’t want to attend this type of event. I can at least say – once was enough. However, what I hope to be able to say is – when’s the next show?

Peace and love to all. And happy adventures.

1¾ c. quinoa**

1½ c. chicken broth

1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. lemon zest

3 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1½ c. chopped fresh spinach

¾ – 1 c. crumbled feta

½ c. toasted slivered almonds

Rinse and drain the quinoa thoroughly in cold water. In a medium saucepan, add the quinoa to the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, take off the lid, and set aside.

While the cooked quinoa is off heat, whisk the garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning together in a bowl. Stir into the warm quinoa.

Just before serving, stir in the parsley, spinach, feta cheese, and slivered almonds.

You can serve this wonderful salad right after preparing, but it is even better the next day, after having spent the night in your refrigerator. But if you plan to serve it the next day, don’t add the parsley, spinach, feta cheese, and almonds until just before serving.  

*A Chautauqua began in 1874 by the opening of the Chautauqua Institution. A Chautauqua is a camp that focuses on learning and entertainment, with lectures, concerts, and presentations by religious leaders, philosophers, and specialists in a variety of fields.

**Though technically a seed, quinoa is classified as a whole grain and is a good source of plant protein and fiber. 

SIMPLE BASIL VINAIGRETTE

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Oh, how I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but my parents taught me not to tell lies. And believe it or not, I actually paid attention to some of their dictums. Mind you, not all their wise “suggestions” stuck. But telling untruths, unless they are little white lies meant to spare someone a hurtful truth, are something I have tried very hard to keep in my “how to be a good person” bucket. So, in full disclosure, I found this recipe on whatsgabycooking.com. And this vinaigrette is FREAKING AMAZING. Absolutely the best basil vinaigrette I have ever tasted. Perhaps even the best salad dressing of any kind I have ever tasted! (It really is that good!)

It all started because I was making Peposo (an Italian braised beef and black pepper dish) for dinner. (Very rich.) (Recipe to be posted later.) So, I needed a simple salad to go with my entrée. And I had a bunch of fresh basil that needed to be used. Well, as they say – the rest is history! I went online. Gaby’s recipe looked perfect. I actually almost followed the recipe to the letter. (I used less crushed red pepper flakes than Gaby suggested.) And now I am sharing this marvelous recipe with you. And believe me when I say – THIS IS YOUR LICKY DAY! And Gaby, thank you so much for sharing your culinary talent with all of us. We are all in your debt.

Well, that’s it for today. I’ve been busy. Making traveling plans. Attending musical events. Seeing friends. Reading good books. All the fun things that make my life so wonderful. May you too have joy in your life. We only go around once, so make every single solitary day count.

And as always, peace and love to all.  

2 T. roughly chopped shallot 

2 c. tightly packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed  

2 lg. garlic cloves, roughly chopped

pinch crushed red pepper flakes, opt.  

½ c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Whirl for at least 1 minute or until very smooth. Taste and add salt as needed.

Serve over any of your favorite greens. Or my favorite (so far) – chopped romaine and sliced tomatoes.

And try not to eat all the dressing while you are taste testing it. Good luck with that!   

      

SPINACH SALAD WITH ROASTED BEETS, FETA CHEESE, TOASTED HAZELNUTS, AND HONEY BALSAMIC DRESSING

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You know how some recipes work out better than others, well for dinner last night I tried 3 new dishes. Two of the recipes (oven fried chicken) and (baked sweet potato chunks) were from food sites I trust. But both recipes were not up to par. And why I tried yet again to expect oven fried chicken to work, I will never know. You would think after at least 147 tries, I would have figured out by now that you simply cannot get crispy “fried” chicken out of an oven. IT IS FLAT OUT IMPOSSIBLE! And that any food blogger who says any different is either crazy or smoking something they shouldn’t be smoking!

Anyway, the left-over chicken is going to be used for enchiladas tonight. And the sweet potato chunks were quickly introduced to our yard waste barrel right after dinner. But what saved the entire meal was this salad.

There are several fine restaurants that we frequent that serve a variation of this delightful salad. So, I decided that I would try my hand at producing a salad that came close. And I do believe I far exceeded even my own expectation.

So, if you too love a good spinach salad with some very tasty additions that just scream “gourmet”, then give this salad a try.

Well, that’s it for today. After yesterday’s dinner fiasco, I’m a little hesitant to try more new recipes today. But then, what the heck, we must eat! If the enchilada and pinto bean recipes work, you will be the first to know. (Well, after Mr. C. and me that is!)

And as a reminder to all of us – don’t give up in the kitchen. Not every dish we prepare is going to be a winner. Because some days, our kitchen witch is not paying as much attention as she should be.

According to Wikipedia, “A kitchen witch, sometimes called a cottage witch is a homemade poppet or doll resembling a stereotypical witch or crone displayed in residential kitchens as a good luck charm and to ward off bad spirits.

There is some debate over where the kitchen witch originated, some claiming Scandanavia and others Germany. But consensus points to older Northern European customs, as it seems to have been more widespread earlier.

The poppet is supposed to depict a “good” witch who inspires productivity and safety in a kitchen, but also counteracts any ill-will directed to the home. It is considered good luck to give a kitchen witch to a friend or family member. So that those unfamiliar with the kitchen witch can understand its meaning, sometimes a note will be hung around the witch’s neck stating something similar to: The Legendary Secret of Goof-Proof Cooking: The Famous Kitchen Witch.”

An interesting article I read on naturallymodernlife.com, “You might be a Kitchen Witch if:

  • You personalize your space with great intention and care; curating a sense of home
  • You instantly know if a space resonates with you or not
  • You love to cook with whole, organic foods as often as possible
  • You love to grow your own food or visit local markets often
  • You believe food is medicine
  • You often cook for others to express affection
  • You are always cooking or baking up a new recipe
  • You clean with natural ingredients (and probably make them too)
  • You enchant ingredients before adding them to a dish
  • A cup of tea is never just tea -it’s a ritual, it’s a brew, it’s been magically prepared for some reason”

Well, I may not believe in witchcraft, but I certainly fall into many of the categories above. However, I have never enchanted an ingredient, and I don’t even like tea. As far as being a witch, you will have to decide that for yourself.

As always, peace and love to all.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. white or regular balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

1½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1½ tsp. honey

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 c. chopped fresh spinach (or part spinach and arugula)

1 roasted beet, diced (see easy way to bake beets below)

⅓ c. crumbled feta cheese

⅓ c. halved toasted hazelnuts

Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Dress the spinach with the dressing and place on two salad plates. Then heap on the roasted beet, feta cheese, and toasted hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

EASY BAKED BEETS

1 lg. or 2 sm. beets

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

Scrub the beet(s) very well, dry with a paper towel, then cut off both ends. Cut in slices a scant ¾-inch thick. (No need to peel.) (Trust me!)

Then cut into roughly ¾-inch pieces or triangles.

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Pour on the olive oil and add a bit of kosher salt. Not too much, not too little.

Mix all together with your hands. (Best tool in the kitchen.)

Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 45-60 minutes. They are tender when you can stick a fork in them.

Remove from oven and try not to eat all the beet pieces before you use them on this salad. Actually, you can eat a few pieces, because one large beet is too much for the salad. So, lucky you!   

CRUNCHY COLESLAW IN A CREAMY AND SAVORY DRESSING  

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I am often asked to bring coleslaw to a gathering. And I just realized why that is. Because I make coleslaw that has flavor.

I can’t tell you how many times when I am dining in a restaurant, I order a meal that comes with coleslaw. And either there is no dressing to speak of on the cabbage, or the dressing is so flavorless that it can’t even be detected. And I always wonder to myself, “what in the heck is so hard about making a tasty coleslaw”? The basic ingredients for coleslaw are simple and the dressing is easy to make. So, what’s the problem?

Now granted, not everyone likes coleslaw. My husband included. But he will usually take a bite or two and not complain. But given the choice, he would probably never let coleslaw cross his lips. But I don’t give him any choice because I happen to love coleslaw. So, I make it every so often. And if he doesn’t want to leave the table unsatiated, he has figured out that he might as well put some of this salad filled with cruciferous veggies on his plate. (It’s called – grin and bear it!)

But for me, it’s pure pleasure when the coleslaw is good.

Now the dressing for this coleslaw is not sweet. It has a teaspoon of honey in the dressing, more for the flavor than for the sweetness it provides. But I have other coleslaw recipes on this site that include sugar, if that is the type of coleslaw you prefer. Me, I like them all. Not every day. But often enough to keep Mr. C. a little nervous! (If only he could learn to love cabbage. But at his ripe old age, that just isn’t going to happen. Just like asking me to eat a parsnip or rutabaga. Haven’t let one pass my lips since I was a child and intend to keep it that way. Thank you very much!)

So, all I ask is that you give homemade coleslaw a try. It’s inexpensive to make. It’s crunchy. (And who doesn’t appreciate crunchy food.) And relatively healthy. And it can be made ahead. (Bonus points for that!)

Well, the sun is shining here in northwestern Washington. There is a bit of a cloud cover over the Cascade Mountains, so not all the snowy peaks are in view. But that’s OK. All of them will eventually grace us with their beauty when they are darn good and ready to do so!

In the meantime, flowering shrubs and other plants in our yard are perfuming the air and showing off their colorful blossoms. And a wide variety of birds seem to be happy spending time in our neighborhood. First, they visit Mark and Vicki’s back deck for a bit of sustenance. Then they come to our front yard for a peck or two of suet cake. Then it’s off they fly to one of our fountains for a quick bath and some liquid refreshment. Then it’s time to start over in Mark and Vicki’s yard. (Not a bad life when you think about it!)

May you too enjoy all the wonders our incredible planet has to offer.

Peace and love to all.

4-5 c. finely shredded cabbage (I use a combination of red and green cabbage)

1 lg. carrot, grated

1 stalk celery, finely diced (include the leaves)

½ c. mayonnaise

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. honey, opt.

½ tsp celery seeds

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper  

Place the shredded cabbage, carrot, and celery in a large bowl and toss to mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, honey, celery seeds, salt, and pepper together.   

Pour some of the dressing over the veggies and mix together. If the coleslaw seems dry, add a little more of the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.  

   

BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT SALAD IN A BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

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As I have said many times, green salads are my least favorite dish to make. Yet, I love salad, so, I mainly just suck it up, get out my big old butcher knife, and get to work! But when I can make a salad in about half the time it usually takes me, then I am truly happy to whisk up a dressing and chop up fresh veggies. And then, if a benevolent deity is taking pity on me and the salad turns out to be absolutely delicious, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. (Or imagine what it must feel like to win the lottery. Having never played the lottery there is a very slim chance that I will ever win. But you know what I mean!)

Anyway, I made this salad the other evening and we both thought it was wonderful. I mean really, what’s not to like about fresh greens, a balsamic vinegar dressing, blue cheese crumbles, and toasted walnuts?

So, if you too have never found yourself ecstatic over running to the kitchen to spend an hour hacking and slashing and building a dressing, this is the recipe you need. Easy, quick, delicious, and totally satisfying. I need say no more. Just make it!

And as always, peace and love to all.

For the dressing:

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1½ tsp. good balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Shake together in a lidded jar.  

For the salad:

1½-2 c. chopped romaine lettuce  

½ c. chopped baby spinach

½ c. blue cheese crumbles

½ c. chopped toasted walnuts  

Place the lettuce and spinach in a salad bowl. Scatter blue cheese crumbles and the walnuts over the greens. Pour the dressing over all and lightly toss. Serve immediately.

   

ARUGULA SALAD WITH A BALSAMIC LEMON DRESSING  

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OK, this has to be one of the easiest salads I have ever made. While at the same time, one of the best salads I have ever eaten. First of all, we love arugula. Arugula’s flavor is peppery, spicy, and a bit nutty, which makes sense considering it’s in the same family as mustard greens. And as for nutrition, arugula has been recognized to be full of antioxidants which protect against or reverse damage to our cells. These natural substances give arugula its slightly peppery taste and may also protect against certain cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, and colin cancers. Arugula may also fight inflammation. It also contains vitamin K, which is good for your bones and may help prevent osteoporosis. So, bottom line, what’s not to like?

Now, until recently, I have only used arugula as one of a mixture of greens for my salads. But a couple months ago we were having dinner at our good friends Jim and Margo’s home, and they served arugula salad. It was so good that right there and then I decided to embrace the fact that not only is arugula delicious all by itself, but it also comes pre-washed in a nice plastic container. (That I already knew and treasured, being the indolent gal I have become of late!)

But I had never thought to serve it as the only green in a salad. And OK, this salad has a bit of fresh parsley in it, so technically arugula is not the only green ingredient that is terribly healthy for us in this recipe. But for all practical purposes, this is still an arugula salad.

And for this recipe we all have Erin Clarke of wellplated.com to thank. And I must say, this simple salad dressing is one of the best balsamic vinegar recipes I have ever made. And by far, the easiest! And it would also be perfect on a spinach salad or drizzled over sliced heirloom tomatoes. Or basically whenever a balsamic vinegar dressing would be appropriate.

Well, that’s it for today. Except to remind you that if you plan to make this wonderful dressing, please use good balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. And I know. Good balsamic vinegar is expensive. And juicing a fresh lemon can be a drag. But even using the best ingredients you can afford to make homemade salad dressings is cheaper than buying bottled salad dressing at the store. And ever so much tastier and without those annoying preservatives that no one can pronounce anyway.

Although I’ve been thinking lately that maybe the reason my face is now covered with so many wrinkles is that I have always prepared most of the food we consume from scratch. Maybe I should embrace prepared foods that contain masses of preservatives. Perhaps my shelf life might actually be lengthened if I did so. I must give this idea some consideration.

In the meantime, peace, and love to all. And do make this salad. It is simply amazing!  

Balsamic Lemon Dressing:

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. good balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Shake together in a lidded jar. Store in your refrigerator.

Salad:

2-3 c. baby arugula, roughly chopped

2 T. sunflower seeds

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

¼ c. shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Place arugula in a salad bowl. Toss with some of the dressing. Then top with sunflower seeds and fresh parsley. Drizzle the rest of the dressing overall or save in the fridge for another time. Garnish with shaved Parm.  

Other additives that you might enjoy in this salad include apple or pear slices or chopped walnuts or almonds instead of sunflower seeds.

And again, thank you Erin for this wonderful recipe.