Salmon Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Salad:

8 oz cooked salmon, break into large bite size pieces

4 large hard boiled eggs, remove shell and cut into quarters

6 cups mixed salad greens

1 large ripe avocado, skinned and cut into wedges

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

3 teaspoons capers

Sea salt and black pepper

Arrange salad ingredients on a large serving platter (refer to picture).

Vinaigrette:

8 large garlic cloves, roasted and peeled

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Combine the garlic, vinegar, mustard, honey, lemon juice and sea salt and black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified. Drizzle generously over the salad.

Serves 4

Pear Goat Cheese Almond Salad

3 cups fresh baby Spinach

1 large D'anjou Pear, core removed, chopped 

1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

1/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 large lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Arrange salad ingredients (refer to picture). 

Blend lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic in a blender. With it running, stream in extra virgin olive oil until well blended. Season with salt and black pepper and drizzle generously over the salad.

Warm Orzo Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Salad:

2 cups orzo pasta

2 cups butternut, remove skin and seeds, chop into bite size 

6 baby purple potatoes, skin on, chop in half

1 cup feta cheese crumble

2 stalks green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (optional)

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (extra for garnish)

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Toss butternut and purple potatoes in extra virgin olive oil to coat. Season with salt and black pepper and roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until they're cooked. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season generously with salt. Add orzo to cook until al dente (don't over cook!), about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water. In a deep sided pan, drizzle about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add orzo, garlic, and cooked vegetables when oil is hot. Toss quickly to heat all the ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper. Add salad to a large serving platter. Stir in feta crumbles, toasted pine nuts (optional) and green onions. Drizzle with Lemon Vinaigrette and serve warm.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

Gently whisk olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, mustard, and fresh garlic to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Nicoise Salad

2 cups boiled potatoes cut into bite size chunks or baby red potatoes

12 asparagus spear or green beans, cooked

4 eggs, boiled, cut into quarters

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

2 small can tuna in oil 

2 baby cos lettuce

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in  half

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1/4 cup capers (optional)

Sea salt and black peppers

Whisk together dijon mustard, sugar, and red wine vinegar to combine. Set aside.

Drain tuna. 

Arrange salad on a serving platter. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

(GUEST POST) - Syd's Fruit Salad

Hi. I'm Sydney and I'm 6. I got inspired by cooking and I thought I would like to put something on my mom's blog and I hope you enjoy the salad if you make it. Oh yeah - I almost forgot - I used a butter knife. But on the apples you might need a sharper knife. I did this all by myself without mama's help and she didn't even know about it! It was a surprise! Man, was she surprised! I also took my own picture and wrote the recipe by hand (below).