January 26: Cheesy Chicken and Artichoke Salad

I have a deli chicken habit, and since I live alone, that means lots of leftover chicken. Today, I found another way of using it up. Of course, I'm also using up my jar of artichoke hearts, not that it's a hardship at all. This is a simple but rich salad, loaded with soft goat cheese. I know a lot of people think chicken salad is for sandwiches, but those of use who don't eat bread have to be a little more inventive. So here's how I made a salad into an appetizer.

Yep, I stuffed it into mushroom caps. These were some big mushrooms that looked like they were just begging to be stuffed. Now, I know what you're thinking, because my mind went there too. I did try cooking one, because stuffed mushroom caps seemed to call for melty cheese. That part was not a success. Take my word for it; they were much better cold.  But then, not everyone likes raw mushrooms. Wow, I feel as though I've committed sacrelidge! How can anyone not like raw mushrooms? Well,I guess in the same was that I can't stand bell peppers, no matter how many times people tell my I should. If you are someone who loves peppers (which would make you a part of the majority, I have to admit), you might try this salad stuffed in a red pepper. let me know how it was.

I also tried the chicken salad wrapped up in one of those big lettuce leaves, which was very good, if a bit messy.  It made me think that I haven't made lettuce wraps for a long time, and then I thought I should. I asked myself, would I call that a salad? And myself said, YES, I would! I have been living alone for way too long.

Recipe:
(Once again, let me explain that I use the word "recipe" in its broadest sense. Most of the time, I don't measure; salad is an artform, ever changing and evolving. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it. )

Dice chicken, celery and marinated artichoke hearts. Crumble in soft (capryni) goat cheese. For the dressing, use 2 parts mayonnaise and 1 part tasty brine from the artichokes (it's like a mild vinagrette with lovely herbs in it. Mix it all up and serve on lettuce, in mushrooms or peppers, in sandwiches or on
crackers. The possibilities are endless.

January 25: Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad

Are you starting to get the impression that I like Asian food? Well, you're right. Except for the spicy bits, there is not much Asian food that is not on my list of good stuff. (well, I can't say I'm a fan of tripe, so don't expect to see that on a salad anytime soon.) I'm still cleaning out cupboards, and today I decided to use up a can of baby corn cobs and one of water chestnuts, since I also have most of a bottle of Asian dressing in the fridge. Now I have over half a can of each in my fridge, so that plan didn't work out so well.

The baby corn was pretty flavourless until it sat in the dressing for a bit, which really brought it to life. Water chestnuts likewise have little flavour, but they add a great crunchy element to a salad. In fact, this salad packs a lot of crunch, with carrots and sugar snaps, beansprouts and mixed greens in addition to the water chestnuts. This is a noisy salad, but luckily I live alone.  If you don't, I suggest dinner music to mask all the crunching.

Recipe:
Toss together mixed italian greens (I know, wrong continent, but it was on sale and it came in pretty colours), bite-size chunks of leftover chicken, beansprouts, sliced water chestnuts, baby corn cobs (cut in half if they are quite long), sugar snap peas (ended and halved), and shaved carrot with Kraft Asian Sesame dressing.

January 24: Seafood Salad with a Twist

This salad would probably never have happened if I weren't about to move. Emptying my cupboards, I found a can of smoked oysters, and decided to see what I had that would go with them. Avocados always go well with seafood, and I just happened to have one left. It was a little overripe, but still very tasty. Lemon is a natural with seafood, but I find that lime is much nicer with avocado, and it was a nice compliment to the oysters as well.

I know smoked oysters aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I've always thought of them as a high treat, and they are loaded with nutrients. (Find out more from the experts: http://www.cloverleaf.ca/en/products/view/CloverLeafSmokedOysters/) Even after you drain them, there is enough oil on the oysters that you don't need a rich dressing. I was pleasantly surprised by this salad. I don't eat oysters often because I always think of them with crackers. Today I learned that they go much better with lettuce. I'll definitely be making this again. 

Recipe: Slice an avocado and arrange at sides of a luncheon plate. Tear read and green lettuce and pile in centre. Top with smoked oysters (I used a whole can) and lime wedges.

January 23: Four Season Salad

I'm still trying to come up with a rating system, but when I do, this salad will be near the top. It was light and refreshing, it was very pretty, and it was gone very quickly.

This is not a salad that needs a recipe. I call it a four season salad because I start with Spring greens and cucumbers, then add apples and freshly toasted pecans for a taste of Autumn. Hearts of palm add a taste of tropical summer, and since mandarin oranges always taste like Christmas to me, so I drizzle on Kraft Mandarin Sesame dressing to represent winter.

Moving day is quickly approaching, so I'm probably going to be making some odd salads as I try to empty out my fridge and my cupboards. And now I have half a can of hearts of palm to use up, so I'm trying to think what else it would compliment. I'm sure I'll come up with something very tasty, but after this salad, I can't really imagine it with any other dressing.

January 22: Asian Chicken and Veggie Feast

Sometimes you set out to make a little salad and end up with an entire meal. Top it off with roasted peanuts and you've got something very special. I know I said that I never buy roasted nuts, but peanuts are not really nuts. I have read that there is a very toxic mold that gets into raw peanuts, and that even tiny amounts are dangerous. On this particular salad, I prefer cashews, but you I didn't have any today. Of course, if you are on the paleo diet, you will probably leave the nuts off altogether.

I love a soy sauce dressing, but if you are eating gluten-free, you have to be careful. Although it's traditionally made with rice, nowadays the makers often substitute wheat. You can buy soy sauce with "Gluten Free" on the label, but it's horrendously overpriced. If you are willing to read labels, you can find a much cheaper solution; just look for one that is made with rice, not wheat. I buy VH, but I always check the label, just in case they change their recipe. The same goes for Teriyaki sauce, which has soy sauce as its main ingredient. If you live in South America, buy domestic soy sauce instead of imported; it's usually made with corn instead of wheat.


Recipe:
Tear red, curly-leaf lettuce in the centre of a large dinner plate and surround it with veggies: mushrooms, cucumbers, carrot sticks, tomato wedges. Arrange bite-size pieces of hot or cold chicken breast on lettuce, and top with roasted peanuts. Pour dressing over top just before eating.

Dressing: 1/2 cup vegetable oil, a dash of sesame oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 clove of garlic, diced, and a pinch of ginger. I just put it all in a jar and shake it like mad.

January 21: Vegetarian Spinach Salad

I might be related to Popeye because I love spinach! Of course, I only eat fresh, not that canned glop he likes, so  must be from a higher-class branch of the Eye family tree. I usually buy the baby spinach leaves that come in a big plastic box. I find that the spinach is less likely to bruise and stays fresher than it does in a bag, but if the bags are on sale I'll buy them. I'm not proud. I have to admit that when it says it's already washed, I believe it. This is partly because I'm lazy, and partly because I'm impatient. If I wash it, I have to wait until it dries, and I never plan far enough ahead for that!

The second best thing about a spinach salad is the colour. (The first obviously being the taste.) I love bringing something this attractive to the table. My guests will be leaving tomorrow, so this was my last chance to wow them (not that I need to wow them; they have to like me because we are family!). I mix my dressing so that it's a little bland, (I can't have much vinegar) but they didn't seem to mind. I served this salad with barbecued chicken legs and potato wedges. Everyone came back for more, so I think it was a hit!

Recipe:
Fresh baby spinach, sliced mushroom, julienned carrots (I just quarter baby carrots lengthwise), tomatoes (cut in wedges and remove the seeds and pulp). Add a creamy Italian dressing and toss well. Serve immediately.

For the dressing, I just whip a little Italian dressing into olive oil mayonnaise. I don't know the proportions; I just eyeball it.

January 20: Apple Pecan Salad

My mother was raised in BC's Okanagan Valley, on an orchard, and she passed on her love of fruit to me. Every fall, we made a trip to Mom's old stomping grounds and stocked up on apples and pears, potatoes, onions and squash to fill our fruit cellar. I remember many a dark winter's evening when I took an empty bowl and scrunched through the snow to fill it with apples, singing to keep the monsters away.

I have to describe the cellar, because I think my Dad is a genius! On our hobby farm here in Williams Lake, my mom planted gardens (LOTS of gardens!) and my dad build a garden shed. It looked like a cute little house, but it was much more! In the floor was a trap door, and when you lifted it, there was a ladder going down into a hole. It was a square hole, about 10 feet deep and 5 feet to a side. If memory serves me right, it had concrete walls. The pump for our deep-drilled well was installed at the bottom, and stacked all around the walls were wooden apple boxes. There was a simple light fixture with a pull-chain, and in the coldest part of winter, there was a single heat lamp providing just enough warmth to keep the frost away.

One of the ways we loved to eat apples was in a salad, sometimes alone, and sometimes with nuts. If my mom asked me to make the salad for dinner, this was my first choice. I always felt like I was pulling one over on my parents, because it was like having dessert for dinner. I've added a little twist or two-- the apple cider vinegar really punches up the flavour-- but this is essentially the same salad I made when I was 11. It is equally good as a side dish or a dessert.

Recipe:
1 apple for each person you are serving, raw pecans (about 3 halves per apple).
Break or coarsely chop pecans, toast in the oven and let them cool.Choose crispy apples of whatever type you prefer. (These are Royal Galas, preferred by my stomach for their low acidity, and also very tasty.) Wash, core and chop them, leaving the peel on. Toss with dressing and serve.

Dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar. (This makes enough for about 5 apples.)

January 19: Crunchy Cauliflower Salad

Since my broccoli salad turned out so well, I thought I'd try one with cauliflower. While I preferred the broccoli one I did a few days ago, this was nearly as good.

Raw cauliflower is a favourite of mine, and when it's been soaking in a nice dressing it's even better. I added red onion for colour, and because I have company. I know other people enjoy them, but neither I nor my stomach is on board the onion train. I do like having them in certain salads just to flavour the dressing, but I don't actually eat them. My dad and my brother appreciated them, though I'm sure my dad is shaking his head at what a picky eater he raised.

Recipe: 1 medium head cauliflower, (cut out stem and break into small florets);1/2 a red onion,sliced;  1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds. Add dressing and refrigerate for and hour or 2 before serving.

Dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime, 2 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until foamy.

January 18: Let Them Eat Cake-- I'll Have Salad!

This is not a salad. I know that you know it's not a salad, I just want you to know that I know it's not a salad. It's an upside-down cake I baked for dessert tonight. This is one of my favourite things to make for company, and it's always appreciated (especially if there's ice cream!). I just put some fruit in 9x13 cake pan, add some brown sugar and a little melted butter, and pour on yellow cake batter (it works with a mix, but this one was home-made.) When my children were tiny, I used to make this with berries they picked. It takes forever to pick enough berries for a pie, but you only need 2 cups to make an upside-down cake. Since it is the middle of winter, this time I used fruit from a can. I had about half a can each of pineapple and apricot left over, so I decided to make a fruit salad for myself.

This is a salad. I just used what fruit I had on hand, and it turned out great. I bought the melon a few days ago, and had my doubt about its ripeness, but it was perfect: firm but not hard, sweet and juicy. I never know whether a melon is ready. I see people knocking on them or squeezing them or smelling them, and I've tried doing all three, but the melons refuse to give up their secrets. In the end, it seem that it all comes down to luck. This was a really ugly melon on the outside, but the inside made up for it. This is often true of people too, but with people, I usually find that once you start to see the inner beauty, the outer ugliness begins to fade away and I realize I was mistaken; it was my imagination, or a trick of the light that made me think they were ugly.

If there was ever a part of me that thought it preferred cake to fruit salad, it's long gone. Cake smells lovely, but just the thought of eating it makes my stomach clench. You might say that I've seen its inner ugliness. My guests enjoyed the cake, but the salad was a perfect dessert for me, and the other half of it made a yummy breakfast.

Recipe:
Halve a melon and scoop out the seeds. Take a sharp knife and score a grid pattern into the flesh of the melon, cutting to within an inch of the peel. Use a spoon to scoop out the cubes, mix in chunks of whatever fruit you have on hand, and pile it into the melon shell. I used a half-can each of pineapple chunks and apricots, 3 sugar mandarins, and a banana, which made enough to fill both halves of the cantaloupe.

January 17: Creamy Citrus Broccoli Salad

I really think this is the best salad I've made this year! I think the secret is the lemon zest- lots of it! I also did it with raw broccoli, which is a HUGE improvement on my last attempt at a broccoli salad. I wanted it to have a lot more almonds but-- you guessed it-- I burned my nuts again. Aaarrrrgh! I hate that. I rescued what I could, but they are way overdone.

 In case you didn't read it before, there is an easy way to make perfectly toasted nuts (not like mine, in other words). Unfortunately, I'm working with an older oven that is very uncommunicative. If you have an oven that beeps when it's hot, you can put your nuts in, turn it to 385 F (400 for pecans) and take the nuts out as soon as your oven tells you it's hot.

If, like me, you don't have a lemon zester on hand, use a sharp knife. Make sure that you cut off only the yellow outside layer, none of the white part, which is very bitter. Slice it into very fine strips. Since I didn't use the juice today, I'm saving my lemon for a future salad dressing. Speaking of dressings; I like creamy ones, but can't have milk or cream, so I often use mayo as a base. You can use cream instead; the lemon juice or vinegar will cause it to thicken to almost the consistency of the mayo-based dressing.

If I were rating salads (hmmm, that's a good idea I should have thought of before) I would give this one top marks. It was a perfect bend of textures and tastes. In fact, I think I shocked my company by going back for more and eating it all before they got a chance at seconds. I excuse myself on the grounds that they also had bread and roast potatoes, which I can't eat. Yep, I just tell myself that so I can sleep at night.


Recipe:
Large head of broccoli, zest of 1 large lemon, 1/2 cup baking almonds, 1/2 cup dried cranberries.
Cut the thick stems off the broccoli. Peel and chop them. Carefully cut the head into small florets. At this point I cut out the smaller stems and use them, but don't bother peeling them. Add zest, and berries, stir in dressing, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Toast nuts and stir in just before serving.

Dressing: I don't know the exact measurements, but it's really a matter of taste anyway. I used olive oil mayonnaise, a little white sugar, and a splash of white wine vinegar, all whisked together. I made it quite sweet, which complimented the lemon zest.

January 16: Garden Salad

Today I just wanted an old-fashioned garden salad. It's a classic that has been much abused by members of the so-called  hospitality industry. A real garden salad starts with good, fresh greens, and finishes with the simplest of dressings; a little olive oil, a favourite vinegar, or just a squeeze of lemon.

Whenever you see onions, even green onions, in one of my salads, you know I have company. (If you look closely you can see that I also added pepper, just for my guests.)This time it's my Dad and my favourite/only brother. They gave their seal of approval on this salad.  The radishes were for my brother, who came shopping with me and requested them. I hated radishes as a kid, because they were too spicy for my. I'd like to think I'm getting tougher, but I think I enjoyed these because the were really mild. It is, after all, the middle of winter, and god only knows (because I will admit, I didn't check) where they traveled from to get to my plate. I think the farther food travels, the more flavour it loses. I would love to be on the 10-mile diet, where you only eat food grown nearby, but the only things growing around here right now are icicles and snowbanks. In the summer it's a different story altogether. There is a farmer's market every week, where you can buy the best locally grown produce directly from the farmer. Now that is good eating!


Recipe: tear leaves or read and green lettuce, add chopped green onion, carrots, and slices of cucumber and radish. Toss with olive oil, balsalmic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

January 15: Seaweed Salad, Japanese Style

A lot of people in Western society are repulsed by seaweed. I really like it, but I have to be in the right mood. That's why I should never have used a full packet of the stuff. It starts out small, but when you put it in water it grows by about 2000%.  I ended up with a huge bowl of the stuff left over, and now it's sitting in my fridge, mocking me.
I bought my seaweed when I was in Richmond, at the Chinese grocery, but you can find it in the Asian section of any supermarket. It needs to soak for quite a bit longer than it says on the package. Before using it, drain, rinse and drain again. I used sunflower seeds simply because I didn't have sesame seeds, and I'm trying not to shop, since moving day is approaching.
I say I'm moving, but really I'm just moving on. The vast bulk of my possessions have been in storage for the past 2 1/2 years, while I wander from place to place, not putting down roots. I suppose there is a part of me that is bothered by this, but so far it's only a small part. The day will come when I decide to unpack, but hopefully it won't be until after I've been to Japan to see how real seaweed salad is made.

Recipe:
Soak wakame seaweed in cold water for 2-4 hours. Drain and rinse, then slice in strips. Add some rice vinegar and a little sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Before serving, sprinkle with sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.

I have to admit that I used powdered ginger, and it was fine, but not great. I found it was better after a couple of hours in the fridge. A lot of people add red pepper flakes for a little extra kick. It would kick me right out of my chair, so I left it out.

January 14: Tasty Textures

This fabulous salad gave me back my faith in my salad-sense after yesterday's fail. I've always liked marinated artichoke hearts, but I never realized how great the brine is as a dressing, especially with a little balsalmic vinegar. I also used up the last of my goat feta in this one, and it was the perfect touch. The avocados and artichokes are both quite delicate, so toss it gently to prevent their breaking up.

Recipe: Tear green curly-leaf lettuce, add slivered almonds, dried cranberries, crumbled feta and slices of artichoke hearts and avocados. For dressing, use the brine from the artichokes and a dash of balsalmic vinegar. Toss everything together until just mixed.

January 13: Unlucky 13

There are some ideas that should die in the making, and this is one of them. I was out of spinach, so when Jordan decided to make spaghetti, I thought I'd try it on cabbage. Maybe if the cabbage had been better it wouldn't have utterly sucked. My only advice is, don't try this at home.

January 12, Creamy Coleslaw

This is my favourite way to eat coleslaw, and the reason I buy at least one bag of the stuff every week. The first time I made this salad, I was really tired. I remember that I was going to have a little dish of it, take a nap, and then make the rest of my dinner. I was so tired, I decided to eat it right out of the bowl, but after one bite, I couldn't stop. I ate the entire thing in one sitting, and skipped my planned dinner. Since then, I make this once or twice a week. When you see salads on here that are not full of greens, it probably means I've had one of these as well.

 I only use Royal Gala apples because they are low in acid. I used to always use roasted, salted sunflower seeds, but I found it too salty, so now I use raw ones. (I find that they retain their crunch better as well.) I've never liked as much salt as most  people I know. On my salads, I find that the salt in the dressing, mayo and cheese is more than enough. I don't use many spices either, because frankly, I am wimp, and even a little black pepper is uncomfortable for me. I think too much spice overpowers the subtle flavours in the vegetables. I like to give my veggies a chance to shine.

Recipe: 1 bag of 3-colour coleslaw, 2 large apples (chopped, with peels on), 1 cup of sesame seeds, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Mix thoroughly. This is even better if it is refrigerated for an hour or so before eating, but good luck getting it to last that long!

January 11: Meat and Veggies

I had some leftover teriyaki pork, so of course I decided to put it in a salad. I had it cold, but it would be even better hot. If you're thinking I'm a little obsessed with sugar snap peas this week, it's because I fell victim to a classic retail scam. What do you do if the small bag is almost the same price as the big one? Well, it's a good thing I like sugar snaps, since I've been eating them in salads, as snacks, and even for breakfast all week.

I almost never eat traditional Western breakfast. I usually have a sausage or some other chunk of meat, a few raw veggies, and a piece of fruit. My all-time favourite breakfast is Dim Sum. When I lived in Richmond, I went almost every day, and I have the muffin-top to prove it. Back then, I was still eating rice, so I could have anything made with rice flour. Ah, the good old days . . . actually, I don't miss the foods I've taken out of my diet. Eating them hurts, or makes me sick. When I eat wheat, I think I'm having a heart attack. I don't miss that. And I'll always have salad.

Recipe:
Create a base of green curly-leaf lettuce. Pile on  sliced mushrooms, sugar snap peas and julienned carrots. Arrange thin slices of cooked Teriyaki marinated pork on top and scatter some raw sunflower seeds over the top.

I know it's not posh, but I poured on a whole bunch of Kraft Asian Sesame dressing. (I'm trying to use it up because I'm moving at the end of the month.) It was the perfect touch.

January 10: Crunchy Asian Coleslaw

 Okay, I know I've made disparaging comments about bagged salad, and I hold to it, but I have to admit that I make an exception for coleslaw. In fact, I make that exception two or three times a week. It's the easiest, quickest salad, and it makes me feel great. This particular one is not my favourite, but it's pretty darn good.

My son wouldn't try it, but then he is the king of pancakes. When he's visiting, the house always smells great. He uses my grandfather's recipe from the family cookbook, and I love to watch him putter around the kitchen. Grandad loved to cook pancakes, and he made the best ones. All their married life, he got up first and made the breakfast; Grandma was never a morning person. She worked like a trooper day in and day out, but whenever her husband was home, she got to sleep for a few extra minutes. When I was making this salad and Jordan was making pancakes,  I was thinking of my grandparents. The funny thing is, they would have hated it!

Recipe (if you can call it that): A bag of 3-colour coleslaw, sugar-snap peas cut in bite-size pieces, sunflower seeds, Kraft Asian Sesame dressing.

January 9: Brunch salad

Okay, I know what you're thinking; brunch on a Wednesday? What can I say? It was that kind of day. I love smoked salmon, and I think avocados pair well with almost any seafood. I would normally use soft goat cheese with salmon, but today I used feta simply because it's what I had. I live alone and I don't eat much cheese, so I usually only buy one type at a time, and use it until it's gone. This is part of what I like about eating salad; you just use what you have on hand. Sometimes it works, sometimes, not so much. Today it was serendipitous. I would never have guessed that feta would work with fish, but it was great! Usually I would toast the almonds, but lately I've burned so many, I'm kind of disheartened.

Oh, yes, and in case you didn't notice, I managed to sneak a couple of my grandkids into the picture, after I shrunk them down and stuck them in a snow globe. Sorry moms, I don't give out my secrets; you'll have to find another way to contain your kids!

Recipe: Start with a base of iceberg lettuce. Add cucumber, avocado and grape tomatoes. Use soft, cold-smoked salmon. Remove the skin and break into bite-size pieces, handling it gently. Crumble feta cheese and sprinkle on top, then add a few sliced almonds. Serve with fresh lemon wedges instead of dressing.

January 8: Thai Inspired

I am not a huge fan of Thai food, mainly because I don't do spicy, but I have a favourite Thai restaurant. I go there for the bubble tea whenever I'm in Richmond, BC. If you don't know Richmond, you should. It's a lovely, green little city located on an island in the Fraser River Estuary. It's linked to Vancouver, the airport and the southern side of the river by several impressive bridges and a tunnel. In the last couple of decades, Richmond has become home  to more and more Chinese immigrants, and has become a "Little Hong Kong."  It's a fun place to live, full of parks and green spaces and Dim Sum restaurants. It's growing fast, but there are no really huge skyscrapers because the ground is too soft to support them.
Getting back to the salad; when I'm waiting for my bubble tea, I love watching the plates come out of the kitchen, each one with its pile of beansprouts and branches of fresh basil. That's why this dish is Thai inspired. I added sugar snap peas for extra crunch and grape tomatoes for colour (and because they're still on sale). I had it as a side dish for dinner, with some teriyaki pork (which is not Thai, but is at least on the right continent). I got the wolf berries from a Chinese grocer, where they are way cheaper than goji berries at a regular grocer, despite being the same thing.

Recipe:
toss together: Chopped fresh basil, bean sprouts, grape tomatoes, sugar-snap peas (cut off ends and halve), and a few dried wolf (goji) berries. Instead of dressing, serve with  a wedge of fresh lime. (Rats! I forgot to put my lime on the plate for the photo!)

Edit: I also put a little soy sauce on this, although I don't think it's particularly Thai.

January 7: Simply Fruity

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. A fruit plate is a great salad for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. This one was my breakfast, and it was almost perfect. The pineapple was succulent and sweet, and the orange and kiwi were just right. The raspberries frozen, from the bag I bought last week for my avocado salad a few days back. It's January, and there are two feet of snow outside, so frozen berries seem appropriate. The only sour note; this particular combo was a bit too acidic for my annoying stomach.

January 6: The Mozza Salad

My mouth is watering again just looking at this. It's probably the least healthy salad I've made, but it was sooooooo good! Since giving up all the foods that make me ill, I think I've missed burgers most. Specifically, I've missed A&W mozza burgers. Once in a while, I delude myself into believing that I can go in and order one without the bun. After a very bad night, I once again face the fact that fast food and I do not mix. I decided to create a salad based on the mozza, but turning it upside down, so that the toppings become the main event. I substituted goat mozzarella and added sauteed mushrooms. It was simply scrumptious! Even my son, who is still visiting, ate it all up and came looking for more. I see more burger-based salads in my future.

Recipe:
Create a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. Add slices of tomato and drizzle generously with Thousand Island dressing. Pile browned, lean ground beef in the centre, and top with sauteed mushrooms and cubed mozzarella. Finish with a slice of bacon, and eat it while it's hot!

January 5: Brocolli and chicken mess

This is not what I would call a success. In my defense, they can't all be wonderful, can they? (Well, not if they are all made by me, which is the plan.) First of all, I decided to blanch the broccoli because I made the mistake of looking at what other people do. Mistake: I loves me some crunch! Then, I didn't have many veggies, so diced the tomatoes and mushrooms and mixed them in the dressing. Frankly, it looked like vomit. I ate it, but I did so in the dark while watching a movie. I might try something similar at a later date, but I'll put more thought into it.

January 4: The full-meal salad

I buy a lot of spinach, and I almost never cook it. It is more filling than most greens, making it a good choice for a dinner salad. I also have a penchant for barbecue deli chickens, so they often make their way into my salads. One of the nicest things about a salad like this is that you really can't make too much, since the leftovers can become a lovely hot dish the next day. Even after a couple of days in the fridge, when the spinach is looking all sad and wilted, you can just pop it into the microwave for a few minutes, and it's a whole new meal.

Recipe:
Toss together fresh baby spinach, sliced mushrooms and carrots, cooked chicken breast (hot or cold), cut in bite-size pieces, with a creamy Italian dressing. Sprinkle with freshly toasted slivered almonds.

Dressing: I use Olive Oil mayonnaise with a little Italian dressing whipped in. You can fiddle with the proportions to get the consistency and taste you prefer.

Best tip for toasting nuts
I always buy raw nuts and toast them in the oven (So-called "roasted" nuts are actually deep-fried). But it's way too easy to burn them. I discovered this tip purely by accident and it's saved my nuts many times!
spread nuts on an oven-proof dish or pan, one layer only. Place in a cold oven and preheat to 385 Fahrenheit. As soon as the oven reaches 385, remove the nuts.
The down side is, this only works if you have a newer, electronic oven that tells you when it's hot. (Which I don't, at the moment-- witness the over-toasted almonds in this salad.) You might have to adjust the temperature for your oven, because they are not all quite the same. Pecans can take more toasting than most nuts, so I usually set my oven to 400 for them.

January 3: Greek (ish) Salad

I love Greek salad, but I don't eat most of the ingredients (onions, peppers and black olives) I can eat cheese, but only of the goat variety, and even then, I only tolerate it if it's consumed with veggies. So this is my solution. I need to eat a lot of raw greens every day, but cauliflower, being a member of the cabbage family, serves just as well. I used grape tomatoes this time because they were on sale. The amounts are what I used; adjust it for your taste and needs.

Recipe:
1 cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 small head cauliflower; cut out stem and break into small florets
500 g. grape tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, chopped.
250 g. goat feta in water

Dressing: Equal parts Italian dressing and water from the feta. Toss all together and store in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. (It's even better the next day!)

January 2: Dessert or Salad?

I see avocados as salad food, but my Brazilian friends consider them a dessert. When my friend Geni served it to me in her home, I had serious misgivings. She mashed the fruit until it was smooth, added sugar, and served it chilled. It's a bit like ice cream, and lot better than I expected. In fact, it made me think about avocados in a whole new way, and that's where this salad came from. It's the best of both worlds, tangy and sweet and just plain yummy.  I used frozen raspberries; I know that fresh is best, but I live in the North, and fresh is not always possible. This was a very successful dessert salad, but would also work well as a starter.

Recipe:
Halve and avocado and remove the pit. Fill the cavity with raspberries. For the dressing, whip a little sugar and a splash of white wine vinegar into some of your favourite mayo. Drizzle the dressing on just before serving. A little trick for serving; before filling your avocado, check to see how it sits on the plate. If it rocks or rolls, a little slice off the bottom will stabilize it.

January 1: Spinach Surprise

New Year's Day is a good time to kick back and be lazy, which explains today's salad. And yes, I'm calling it a salad, because it's full of the green stuff my body loves.  My son made spaghetti with meat sauce, so I liberated some of his sauce, and voila, instant salad. This is what I have when everyone else is having pasta, because I don't eat grains. It's a nutritious and delicious, and I love when the hot pasta sauce wilts the spinach just a little. Yum!

Recipe:
Fill a bowl with fresh baby spinach and make "nest," or hollow, in the centre. Pile in some hot, thick meat sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. (This is goat feta but use whatever you like, or leave it off if you are eating paleolithic or lactose-free)

Yep, that's my idea of how to write a recipe. My recipes tend to have a few of these, some of that, and bit of the other. Salads are an art, not a science. Mostly, proportions depend on what's in the fridge and how I feel.

The Year of the Conciliatory Salad

Hello, my name is Leora, and I'm a salad addict.

Literally (and yes, I do know what that word means.)

Before you start thinking I'll eat any manky old salad from a bag to feed my addiction, let me clarify. I'm more like a champagne-o than a wino. (An ironic metaphor, since I can't stand alcohol of any kind.) If your idea of salad is wilted lettuce and pale tomatoes with ranch dressing, or the occasional Caesar, you probably think I'm nuts. You'd have to be, to eat that every day. The key to great salad is great ingredients. 

I really am physically addicted to salad, just like Gollum and his precious ring. Failing to eat salad on a daily basis gives me nightmares. I have a stomach that hates about ninety percent of the food we eat in North America. When I don't cater to it, my stomach takes its revenge by growling and burning and cramping and sending evil messages to my brain all night long. Hence the nightmares.

Through trial and error with diet, (and a pigheaded refusal to take prescription drugs for the rest of my life) I've managed to broker an uneasy peace with my stomach. We are like North and South Korea, and I'm pretty sure I'm South, because my stomach is definitely a dictatorship. As long as I stick to my part, the truce holds. What my dictatorial stomach demands is a daily influx of raw produce, including at least three cups of greens. I am no expert, but I think this has partly to do with the fiber, and even more to do with the enzymes found in live food. Of course, there is also a long list of foods I can't eat, but frankly, I'm too full of salad to miss them.

And that's how I arrived at the Year of the Conciliatory Salad. My goal (I'm not calling it a resolution because that has never worked out too well for me in the past) is to keep the peace within my body by creating and eating a different salad every day in 2013. This could be crazy, or impossible, but it will definitely be tasty. 

I started this journey on the first of January, taking photos and a few notes. But I'm thinking I need a little more organization, so I'm going to try blogging my salad journey. I was going to start on the last day of January and post a whole month's salads, but it turns out I'm moving that day, so here come the first 27 entries.