CHRISTMAS SALAD

I have plans to serve this red and green salad as a side dish on Christmas eve. Not only is it bright, tasty, creamy and crunchy, but it goes well with almost ANY main course AND it is very festive!!
16 ounce bag of frozen green peas
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped
3 slices of crisp bacon cut up (optional)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded (I use more)
cherry tomatoes, cut in half
sunflower seeds

 Microwave the frozen peas (covered) with 1 tablespoon of water for about 3 minutes or until slightly cooked (but not soft) then drain and cool.

In a large bowl, mix all of the above ingredients together (except the cherry tomatoes); gently fold in the dressing.


Dressing
3 heaping tablespoons of light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons milk
Whisk the ingredients together and gently fold into salad.


Add cherry tomatoes and an extra sprinkle of cheese to the top of the salad for decoration. Cover and chill.
NOTE: Every microwave cooks at a different rate, so keep an eye on your peas when you microwave them. You don't want them to get overcooked and mushy.

APPLE - PINEAPPLE COLESLAW

This sweet and crunchy salad is a nice change of pace from traditional coleslaw; the brown sugar gives it a nice mellow taste.

3 cups of chopped green cabbage
2 peeled, cored and shredded apples (your favorite kind)
1 large grated carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
(1) 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (squeezed dry)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Whisk the mayonnaise, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pineapple (that you have squeezed dry) together until well mixed. Pour over chopped veggies and apples and toss to mix. Chill until dinner time.

NOTE: I used golden delicious apples, but any apple will work.

NOTE: I used ¼ teaspoon of salt and a couple healthy pinches of black pepper.

BROCCOLI and ORANGE SALAD

Whether it is the dead of winter, or the heat of summer, this great salad is a nutritious combination of crunch from the broccoli and sunflower seeds as well as sweetness from the oranges and raisins, brightness from the lemon juice, green onions and red bell pepper and finally the addition of the black beans give you that wonderful "full feeling" that you do not get with some light meals. This is a GREAT salad.
Measurements given here are approximate (except for the dressing). YOU decide how much of each ingredient you would like in your salad. The amounts given here are catered to MY taste buds:


3 heads of broccoli (broken into small pieces)
1 red bell pepper (diced finely)
1 cup raisins
2 oranges (peeled & sliced thick)
15 ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sliced green onion tops

Dressing:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Wash (and shake dry) the broccoli heads. Remove as much of the stalk and stems as you can so you can break the florets into bite size pieces. Add diced red bell pepper, raisins, oranges, black beans, sunflower seeds and green onions.

Mix dressing ingredients with a whisk and pour dressing over the salad. Toss gently and serve immediately. NOTE: You may not need or want all of the dressing.


NOTE: Peel the oranges, removing as much of the white as you can, then slice the orange into thick slices; cut the thick slices into four wedges.

NOTE: Let your imagination go wild with this salad, you can add just about anything that strikes your fancy.

SPINACH and ORANGE SALAD

I am addicted to a great super-simple salad. It is basically baby spinach, orange segments, avocado and sliced almonds. The orange segments make the salad so juicy, that I don't even need a dressing, although there is an orange vinaigrette for those who would like one. It is refreshing and quick to fix (not to mention it also goes with anything from the grill).

4 cups fresh baby spinach
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 large Haas avocado peeled, and sliced
2 tablespoons sliced almonds toasted

This recipe makes 4 salads. Rinse and dry baby spinach and divide onto four plates. Slice the ends of the orange off and use a knife to peel the orange. Slice in between the segments so you get only the best part of the orange. Arrange the orange and avocado on the spinach and top with toasted nuts.

Orange Vinaigrette:
In a jar, put 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange zest, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons salad oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, dash black pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well.

CHIPOTLE COLESLAW

This is a quick side dish for today’s Cinco de Mayo dinner. It has traditional coleslaw veggies with just a slight twist on the dressing.

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon limejuice
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
3 cups shredded green cabbage
½ cup chopped red cabbage
1/3 cup chopped red onion
¾ cup chopped red (or yellow) bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Stir together mayonnaise, juice, honey, cumin and ground chipotle pepper (set aside). Combine remaining ingredients, pour chipotle dressing over, and toss to mix. Serve immediately (or chill up to 24 hours).

Don't forget to enter YOUR recipes in Girlichef's chile recipe contest which ends May 27th. Just hop over there and look for her May 1st post for details.

PINEAPPLE COLESLAW

Coleslaw is quick, nutritious, holds up well in the fridge and has a million variations. We like ours a little on the sweet side, rather than the traditional tart taste.
1 small head of cabbage
2 carrots
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
½ cup finely diced celery
Finely chop the cabbage, pepper and celery and shred carrots. Mix all veggies together and set aside.
DRESSING:
¾ cup low fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar if you like your salad tart)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Whisk dressing until smooth then stir in (1) 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple (drained). Pour dressing over veggies, mix well and chill.