Strawberry Asparagus + Goat Cheese Salad with Peppered Dijon Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Whisk together ingredients until emulsified. (Use 1 pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper, or to taste.) Set aside.

Toss together

Baby kale

Baby Spinach

Baby Chard

Strawberries, sliced in half

Blanched asparagus, cut into 1 inch segments

Candied pecans

Cranberries

Crumbled goat cheese

To prepare asparagus, cut off tough ends and discard. Add apsaragus to boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain hot water and transfer asparagus to ice water until cooled. Drain well.

To prepare pecans, add 1 tablespoon sugar to a sauce pan with 1/2 cup pecans. Let nuts and sugar warm until sugar starts to melt. Watch carefully, as nuts can burn quickly. Once most of the sugar has melted, stir nuts to coat well. Continue stirring until all sugar granules have melted and adhered to pecans. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir. Remove from heat and cool completely. Save any unused nuts in airtight bag/container in freezer. 

Add dressing (you may not need all of it) and goat cheese to salad just before serving. Toss to coat well.

To serve approximately 4-6, I use about 4 to 5 ounces of mixed greens (kale, chard and spinach) and 1/2 bunch asparagus. 

Candied Pecans

Add 1 tablespoon sugar to a sauce pan with 1/2 cup pecans. Let nuts and sugar warm over medium/low heat until sugar starts to melt. Watch carefully, as nuts can burn quickly. Once most of the sugar has melted, stir nuts to coat well. Continue stirring until all sugar granules have melted. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir. Transfer nuts to wax paper or a plate and cool completely. Save any unused nuts in airtight bag or container in freezer. 

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oats

1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans


In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add to butter mixture until combined. Mix in oats. Then add dried cranberries, coconut and pecans.

Scoop dough onto wax paper and roll into a log, about 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice dough into 1/2 inch pieces and bake for 9 minutes.

Homemade Granola

The thing I love about this granola recipe is that it has the perfect blend of sweetness and crunchiness. It's sweet, but not too sweet and it's hard but not too hard--because the instant you bite into it it crumbles with ease and then just melts in your mouth. It's hard to stop munching on it once you've started. I've made this granola so many times...we always have a big bin of it laying around. . .even Max will eat it (which means, you know it's gotta be good.) I've tried to make it a fail proof recipe --it's very simple and fast to make.

Inspiration from the Blakesley family.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cup finely chopped almonds and pecans (about 1 cup each whole)
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup shredded coconut
7 cups quick oats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup coconut oil (vegetable or canola oil will work as well)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Pulse nuts in a food processor or blender until fine (about the consistency of coarse bread crumbs). In a large bowl mix oats, flaxseed, nuts, cinnamon, coconut and salt.

In a medium saucepan combine oil, honey and sugar. Bring to a frothy boil and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour over oat mixture and combine well. With cooking spray, lightly grease two cookie sheets. Evenly spread mixture onto both trays. (If your oven is not big enough, cook one tray at a time.) Just before baking, spritz with about 3 squirts of water from a water bottle (or flick a little water on with your fingers). Bake for 20 - 22 minutes. Let sit for about 20 minutes. With a metal spatula, lift (scrape) from pan. Crumble/break the larger pieces into bite size pieces. Cool completely before eating (even though it will be impossible not to!) Store in air tight container. (I usually let my granola sit out for several hours before I store it away.)

Chop up nuts in a food processor or blender to this consistency.

Flaxseed meal can be found generally in the health food section of your grocery store or any health food market. If you want to read more on flaxseed, check out this article HERE from Wholefoods.com.

Pomegranate & Pear Salad

This salad is the perfect holiday treat with the wintery and tangy pomegranate fruit. YUM.

If you are like me, you'll buy your pomegranate seeds already seeded and ready to use. But, if you're not in a lazy mood, it's very simple to seed your pomegranate. There are hundreds of different online tutorials on how to seed a pomegranate.  Find the one that works best for you!

To Make:
Use a combination of baby spinach (stems removed) and shredded Romain. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, candied pecans, sliced avocado, sliced pears and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with Perfect Poppyseed Dressing just before serving.

Another variation:
Substitute the bacon for orange or grapefruit slices.

sweet potatoes with coconut and pecans

You'll need:

3 cups mashed yams or sweet potatoes

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup grated coconut
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
3 tablespoons butter, melted

For yams (you'll need about 2 large or 3 medium yams), peel and dice into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Place in medium saucepan and fill with about 1 to 2 inches of water. (Water should come just to top of yams.) Bring to a boil, cover and steam on medium high for about 10 to 12 minutes (do not overcook.) Yams should be fork tender and easily mashable with a fork. Mash with fork. Measure out 3 cups and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk, brown sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and salt. Combine well. Place mixture in an 8" x 12" baking dish or casserole dish (a smaller baking dish is okay too.)
For topping, combine flour and brown sugar. Add coconut, pecans and butter. Mix well, until flour has absorbed butter. Sprinkle topping evenly over yam mixture.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Julie's Coleslaw

I really love the idea of coleslaw...as a side with BBQ or fish 'n chips. But, I could never really get into the typical coleslaw. Too much mayo and no flavor = gross. So, I lightened it up, sweetened it up, and added some crunch. Fresh and summery and so good.

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) package angel hair coleslaw/cabbage

(or 1/2 to 1 cabbage, cut into paper-thin slices)

2 cups apple, diced 1/4" (about 2 small apples, Fuji are best)

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

3/4 cup salted cashews, roughly chopped

fresh ground pepper

kosher salt

Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix dressing ingredients until well combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Add dressing and combine well. Let sit a few minutes before serving. 

*The key to this recipe is the cabbage. Make sure to use plain angel hair cabbage. The thinner the better. If you can't find it packaged, cut your own into paper thin slices.

apple pecan salad

 You'll need for 2 large or 4 small servings:

About 3 oz. chopped Romain lettuce

About 1 cup baby spinach, stems removed

1/2 apple (Fuji or McIntosh are best), skin removed & chopped

2 Tablespoons candied pecans 

2 Tablespoons Craisins

2 or 3 small white (button) mushrooms, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

Perfect Poppy Seed Dressing

Combine all ingredients and drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Sesame Chicken Salad

This salad is probably my all time favorite salad. I'm sure I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! It's perfect for a main course meal, or a pot-luck dinner. 

Ingredients

I head Iceberg lettuce, chopped

2 - 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 - 4 green onions, chopped

1 can sliced water chestnuts, cut into slivers

1 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1/4 chopped almonds (or 1 small bags slivered or shaved almonds)

1/2 package won tons squares

Dressing

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons Accent

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Wash and dry lettuce well and chop. Cut won ton squares into 9 equal sections. Place on cookie sheet and bake @ 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Toast sesame seeds on medium low heat until light brown. (About 3 - 5 minutes. Watch carefully.) Add everything to a large serving bowl.

To make the dressing, blend ingredients until creamy (about 1 minute.)

Just before serving, toss salad with dressing.

Strawberry Bacon and Avocado Salad

This is the perfect summertime salad. I love this combination and I'm always going for seconds.

Ingredients

2 cups baby spinach or about 2 - 3 oz. (stems removed)

2 cups spring mix or about 2 - 3 oz.

1 cup chopped romaine

1/2 cup or about 5 - 6 strawberries, sliced

2 - 3 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled

1/2 avocado, chopped

1/8 - 1/4 cup candied pecans

About 1/4 cup Perfect Poppyseed Dressing

Toss together spinach and lettuce. (I like to tear the larger pieces into smaller pieces.) Top with remaining ingredients. Add dressing just before serving and toss. Serves 4-6 

Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

This amazing recipe came from my sister, Lisa. This salad is fresh and tangy and so, so good. 

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Fresh ground pepper

Mix Dressing ingredients well and set aside.

Combine:

5 oz. sping mix

1/4 cup chopped candied pecans

1/4 craisins

1/2 cup mandarine oranges

About 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

To make the pecans, roughly chop and add to sauté pan with 1 tablespoon sugar. On medium heat let pecans sit until sugar starts to melt. Watch closely! Once sugar starts to melt, give it a stir until all sugar granules have dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool on a plate.

Drizzle salad with dressing and toss. Save any extra dressing and nuts (I usually make a big batch) in airtight container for two weeks in fridge (nuts can be stored in freezer and saved longer).