Easy Homemade Classic Vinaigrette

This is awesome with whatever you have on hand – regular lemons, Meyer lemons, and white vinegar can be swapped out for the balsamic, although I typically make it as written.

1 clove garlic or small shallot
Sea salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 T. balsamic vinegar
6 T. olive oil

Mash garlic, add the vinegar, mustard and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Add oil and emulsify – hand mash – or whirr in a little blender. I add some lemon zest before serving. Makes 1/2 cup. Store in a tight sealing jar up to a week.

Fresh Beet Salad

A restaurant in town had a fresh beet salad that was delicious. I had actually never eaten fresh beets - I don't like them pickled from the jar and didn't know they were prepared another way. Silly me.

This salad had a delicious, smooth texture of the roasted beets, coupled with the lighter goat cheese chive mousse flavor, fresh greens with balsamic honey dressing...I really couldn't get over it. There were 4 (whole) beets per plate (2 red/2 golden) with a mound of Argula and Quinoa to the side drizzled with dressing and garnished with honey roasted almonds.

I brought together some different recipes here. It's mostly to give you an idea - but it is not perfected. Maybe you can do that and send it to me. This could easily be a veggie main entrée with some fresh bread and a cup of soup.

Ingredients.
Roasted beets
Argula salad mixed greens
Honey roasted almonds
Quinoa
Goat Cheese mousse
Balsamic honey dressing

Roasting the beets
You'll want to pick beets the same size, about 1 - 2". Heat oven to 400. Make an aluminum foil pocket and seal the beets together inside in a single layer. Bake on center rack for 40 minutes.  Cool slightly and rub with a paper towel to remove the peel. If it doesn't come off easily, return to the oven for 10 minutes more (the beets aren't done).  Once they're peeled, trim one end flat for the base and chill.

Homemade Version of Chinese Chicken Salad

Fresh and Easy

 

SALAD
1/2 package chow mein noodles
1/2 head of lettuce, sliced in strips
1/2 head shredded green cabbage
3 c. cut up and seasoned cooked chicken
1 medium carrot, slivered
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 T. sesame seeds
mandarin oranges and slivered almonds for garnish

Prep salad, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

DRESSING
1/3 c. oil
1/4 c. vinegar
1 T. sugar (or sugar substitute)
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt (we leave it out)

Combine everything but the oil and whisk vigorously as you slowly add the oil – or drizzle in a stand mixer so it blends well. Refrigerate an hour or more to blend the flavors.

To serve: Pour a modest amount of dressing with the salad, garnish and serve with additional dressing on the side.