Strawberry and Mizuna Salad

Strawberry and Mizuna Salad

6 cups of mizuna lettuce
1 cup of sliced strawberries
4 spears of asparagus, roasted and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 inch ginger, minced
1/2 cup of sesame oil
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

1. Lightly toss the mizuna, strawberries, and asparagus together.
2. Whisk ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes together.
3. Drizzle vinaigrette to taste on salad.
4. Garnish with walnuts.

Summer Plum and Berry Fruit Salad

Summer Plum and Berry Fruit Salad

2 red plums, pitted and sliced

1 cup blackberries

1 cup blueberries

1 cup of strawberries, quartered

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped

3 mint leaves, coarsely torn

1. Toss plums, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries with sugar, orange juice, and cinnamon; let stand 15 minutes.

2.  Serve sprinkled with pistachios and mint.

Watermelon Arugula and Pine Nut Salad

Watermelon Arugula and Pine Nut Salad

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons olive oil
9 cups watermelon, ½ inch cubed 

18 cups baby arugula
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup crumbled feta

Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

1.  Whisk together lemon juice and salt in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow

      stream, whisking until emulsified.

2.  Add watermelon, arugula, and pine nuts and toss to coat, then sprinkle with cheese,

     pepper, and salt.

Frisee Avocado and Orange Salad

Frisee Avocado and Orange Salad

2 heads of frisée, trimmed and washed

1 large navel orange, cut into segments

½ small jicama, peeled and diced

2 avocados, thinly sliced

5 ounces raw pistachios

1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

1 ½ tablespoon turbinado sugar

1 ½ tsp. smoked sea salt

2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 ¼ teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped

2 ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

1.       Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.       Line a sheet pan with parchment.

3.       Spread pistachios in single layer on pan and toast for 7 minutes.

4.       Let cool and then add honey.

5.       Mix to coat evenly and spread in a single layer.

6.       Add sugar and salt to coat evenly. 

7.    Bake for an additional 7-10 minutes. Let cool before using.

8.       Add all ingredients except oil and 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest to a food processor.

9.       Process and then slowly add the oil.

10.   Whisk in the remaining zest, adding salt and pepper to taste.

11.   Toss frisée, orange segments and jicama with enough vinaigrette to evenly coat.

12.   Add salt and pepper to taste.

13.   Pile and arrange ¼ of salad on each plate.

14.   Sprinkle each salad with 1 ounce of candied pistachio and then add a fanned avocado half.

15.   Season avocado with sea salt if desired. Serve.

Grapefruit Fennel and Parmesan Salad

Grapefruit Fennel and Parmesan Salad

1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon honey
¼ cup olive oil
2 heads of butter lettuce, leaves torn
1 cup thinly sliced fresh fennel bulb
3 small pink and red grapefruits, sectioned
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved 

½ cup toasted almond slivers

1.  Whisk vinegar and honey in large bowl to blend.

2.  Whisk in olive oil; season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

3.  Add butter lettuce, and fennel to bowl; toss to coat.

4.  Top salad with grapefruit sections, then Parmesan cheese and almond slivers. Serve.

Bibb Salad With Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Bibb Salad With Pomegranate Vinaigrette 

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice

1/3 cup olive oil

5 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated

½ cup Pistachios, toasted
8 tablespoons Chevre, crumbled 
4 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds 

1.  Combine the first 7 ingredients for dressing.

2.  Toss lettuce with enough vinaigrette to coat leaves.

3.  Assemble on a plate to resemble a head of lettuce and sprinkle with chevre, pistachios, and pepper.

3.  Top with pomegranate seeds. 

Warm Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad

Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad

2 ½ cups water

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups dry quinoa, rinsed

¼ cup chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons tamari 

Juice of one lime

3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach

1 cup snow peas

1 medium red pepper, diced

1/3 cup minced red onion

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup chopped peanuts, toasted

1. Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium pot.

2. Add quinoa, then reduce to a simmer and cover.

3. Cook for 10 to 11 minutes, until quinoa is cooked through and tender, but not mushy, and water has evaporated. (If cooked through and a little water remains, drain it.)

4. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, sesame oil, and tamari.

5. Let sit for five minutes.

6. Stir in lime juice, spinach, peas, red pepper, onion, red pepper flakes, cilantro, and peanuts.

7. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

8. Serve at room temperature.

Curried Sweet Potato Salad

Curried Sweet Potato Salad

       2 sweet potatoes, cubed

        1 green onion, thinly sliced

     1/2 cup cashews, toasted 

        1 ½ cups full-fat yogurt

       2 tablespoon ginger, minced

        1 teaspoon onion powder

        2 garlic cloves, minced

        2 teaspoons yellow curry powder

     2 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

      ¾ teaspoon salt

      1 tsp. honey  

1.  First, bring the sweet potato cubes to boil in a large pot of water then cook for approximately 10 minutes.

2. While the sweet potatoes are cooking whisk together the last six ingredients until smooth.

3.  Drain the sweet potatoes then place in a large bowl to cool.

4.  Next, combine sweet potatoes and green onion in the bowl.

5.  Mix well with 1/2  to 1 cup curried yogurt dressing.

6. Garnish with cashews

Arugula and Smoked Provolone Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Arugula and Smoked Provolone Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

1 12-ounce head radicchio, halved and very thinly sliced
3 packed cups arugula

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
9 ounces smoked provolone, cut into ¼ inch-thick slices

1.  Mix radicchio, arugula, onion, and tomatoes in large bowl.

2.  Place lemon juice in small bowl. 

3.  Gradually whisk in olive oil. 

4.  Season dressing with salt and pepper.

5.  Sprinkle salads with nuts. 

6.  Garnish with cheese.

Makes 6 servings.