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. 

Green Smoothie

My green smoothie. I love. I crave. 

(I even got my husband to drink them every day...he actually likes them!)

Ingredients:

Kale (1 large stalk)

4 baby carrots

1 cup grapes (red or green)

4 strawberries

1/4 green apple

1 tablespoon "sugar in the raw" (Turbinado sugar)

2 tablespoons vanilla creamer

1/4 cup vanilla non-fat yogurt

Approximately 16 - 18 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients, except ice cubes on high until very smooth. *Note: If using a Vita-Mix, use the plunger to push everything down. If using a regular blender, pulse and stop/stir occasionally to get the food to start mixing.

Once smooth, add ice cube and pulse/blend until smooth. 

**I buy my cane sugar in a big bag from Costco. It's cheaper and it lasts forever.

Sometimes, when I know my mornings will be rushed, I put everything in the blender (except the ice) and store it in the fridge over night. Then, in the morning, I blend, add the ice and I can run out the door with smoothie in hand. I'm extra happy all day :)

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