Lettuce and Salad Mix

Vegetarian caesar salad with croutons and cherry tomatoes

1 head of lettuce, chopped, about 8 cups
2 c. croutons, see recipe below
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
¼ c. grated parmesan cheese

for the croutons

4-6 slices of bread, cubed (can be stale)
2 tbs. butter or olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Warm the butter or oil on the stove top. Add the garlic and the cubed bread. Sauté the mixture for a few minutes. Transfer the bread to a small baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes, until crunchy and golden.

for the dressing

1 c. olive oil
¼ c. water
½ c. grated parmesan
1 tbs. dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Wash and dry the lettuce and place into a large bowl. Toss the lettuce with about ½ c. of the dressing. Arrange the tomatoes and croutons on top, and garnish with the grated parmesan. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. Serves 4-6.

Winter Salad with Celeriac, Beets and Apples

3 cups mesclun mix
3 cups baby spinach
½ medium celeriac bulb, shredded
1 small-medium beet, shredded
1 apple, chopped into small pieces
2 oz. crumbled chevre (optional)
¼ cup toasted walnuts (optional)
to taste- olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, black pepper

Put greens in a large salad bowl, drizzle with oil and vinegar, shake on salt and pepper. Toss well. Sprinkle on grated celeriac and beets, apples, cheese and nuts. Stir in toppings, or leave them scattered on top of salad. Serves 6.

Mesclun Greens with Grapefruit and Walnuts

4 c. mesclun salad greens
1 medium grapefruit
¼ c. toasted walnuts
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. apple cider vinegar
salt a pepper to taste

Put greens in a bowl. Sprinkle on oil, vinegar, salt a pepper and mix gently. With a paring knife, slice the top and bottom off of the grapefruit. Slice off the peel, following the curve of the grapefruit. Cut or peel sections apart, cutting each section into 3-4 pieces. Arrange the grapefruit on top of the greens, and toss the toasted nuts on top. Serves 4.

3 Fabulous Salad dressings

Lemon tahini
½ c. sesame tahini
½ c. plain yogurt.
¼ c. water
2-3 tbs. lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. salt

Put the tahini, yogurt, water, lemon juice and salt into a blender and blend until smooth. This will make a fairly thick dressing, you can thin with a little more water if desired.

Carrot ginger
½ lb carrots (2 medium or 1 large)
2 tbs. chopped fresh ginger
¼ c. chopped onion
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. toasted sesame oil
½ c. canola oil
¼ rice or red wine vinegar
¼ c. water

Place carrots, ginger and onion in a food processor and blend until finely ground.
Add remaining ingredients and bland until smooth. Thin with additional water if desired.

Balsamic dijon
½ cup olive oil
½ cup canola oil
4 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tbs. dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove
¼ cup water
¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.