Salads

Boil about 5-6 potatos that have been cut into quarters or less.. Red skin are nice. KEEP skin on, let Cool.
Grate about 2 carrots, Finely Chop about 3-4 pickles (pickles add a nice zing to the salad), 2 green onions finely chopped.
Cut up cooled potato into bowl and mash a slight bit with potato masher. Toss in all ingredients.
Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash or two of Paprika.
Add 2 boiled eggs if desired, a nice touch. Slice both and add one into entire salad mix, the other sliced egg will be used as final layer on top of salad as decor.
Add Miracle Whip salad dressing, about 4 -6 table spoons. Main goal is to moisten mix and not have too dry or too wet.
When finished mixing all and taste is good, then place in serving bowl, top with last sliced egg, and sprinkle a touch of paprika and parsley on top.
Best chilled for a couple of hours as this allows the flavours to work best.
Serve in summer. ;)
 

1 bag of mixed greens (200g)
½ cup toasted maple pecans
Crumbled blue cheese, to taste
2 ripe D’Anjou pears, green or red, sliced
Maple balsamic dressing
Pomegranate arils for garnish

TO PREPARE POMEGRANATE ARILS
With a sharp knife, cut off the top of a pomegranate, about 1/2 inch below crown
Once the top is off, you will see 4-6 sections. With your knife point, score the skin at each section. Separate the pomegranate at each score, so that you have individual sections. Over a bowl of water, use your fingers to loosen the arils (the flesh covered seeds) and drop them into the bowl. The arils will sink to the bottom. Use a spoon to scoop out pieces of the white membrane that have floated to the top Pour the remaining liquid thru a strainer and reserve the arils. Toast pecans in frying pan with a bit of butter or oil and add 2 to 3 tsp of maple syrup, continue to stir until nicely caramelized. Set aside to cool

DRESSING
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced (optional)
¾ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Mix all together in a jar and shake well

SALAD
Toss the Salad greens with enough dressing to lightly coat. Plate and arrange Pear slices, almonds, blue cheese crumbles and pomegranate arils over salad greens
Makes 4 lunch size salads or 6-8 small dinner side salads
 

1lb. fresh spinach
¼ to ½ lb bacon
19 oz. can chick peas, drained
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
¼ lb (125g) sliced mushrooms
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red chilli pepper flakes

Tear spinach into bite size pieces. Set aside in salad bowl. Cook bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt, pepper and red chili pepper flakes. Whisk together until blended. Add the chick peas, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms. Stir and toss until coated. Just before serving, add spinach and toss

1 cup quinoa
1-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-3/4 cups water

Place in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes
Turn off heat and let sit for 6 minutes. Fluff with fork when done
Cool
¼ cup lemon juice
1.4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup grated carrots
½ -1 red pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini or cucumber, diced
½ cup of chick peas (drained)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Feta cheese and olives to taste

Combine all ingredients and let marinate together for a few hours to meld

Prepared Italian dressing makes this twist on traditional wilted spinach salad simple ti fix. I usually have a hard-cooked egg ready in the refrigerator, and the dressing just takes seconds to heat.

The sweet tomatoes in this simple pasta salad are juxtaposed against pungent Gorgonzola cheese. Make it extra gorgeous by mixing several colors and shapes of cherry tomatoes.

Give friends a taste of the tropics on warm summer days with this refreshing fruit blend. For a little extra punch, you might add a splash of coconut rum.