Little Green Trees!

It's almost summertime here in New England.  And we all know summer means being outside, catching some rays, and most likely attending or hosting many cookouts.  How about some broccoli salad to spice up your BBQ?  It's a great side to add to those burgers and dogs!

I actually first had this delicious concoction on Christmas Eve a few years ago.  I was loading up my plate at my in-laws and came across a bowl full of broccoli (my all time favorite vegetable) with some other goodies mixed in.  Needless to say, I kept going back to fill my plate with broccoli salad, and made to sure to find out who made it so I could get the recipe.   I've tweaked the recipe a little (like I always do), and feel free to tweak mine to your liking.  This salad is great because you can really put your own spin on it.  I love this recipe because it's another way for me to enjoy those little green trees!

Dressing:
In a bowl, I add a tablespoon of Olive Oil Mayo, a tablespoon of vinegar, and just under 1/4 c of sugar.  Blend well.

Then add the following to the bowl:

 
• 2 tablespoons of diced red onion
• 1/2 c of chopped celery
• 1/4 c of raisins (I typically use craisins, but maybe you like golden raisins or some other raisin, substitute in whatever you like!)
• 1/4 c walnuts (I use Emerald Nuts candied walnuts. They are fantastically good.  Not of a fan of the candied walnuts??  Use whatever walnuts you enjoy.)
• 1/4 c sunflower seeds (If you don't have these in your house, it's perfectly okay to leave them out. The salad will still be delicious!)
• 3 pieces chopped cooked bacon (Don't use those gross bacon bits.  One, because they are gross.  Two, they are salty.  Three, they will take away from the flavor of this dish.  If you hate bacon like my friend Kristy does, leave it out).
• 2 c of broccoli florets (I tend to estimate the amount of broccoli I put in.  Let's be honest, I estimate most ingredients.  I put enough in so there's a good blend of broccoli with the other ingredients and to help disperse the dressing.  If I find the dressing to be too heavy, I just add more broccoli.)



Not the best photo, but you get the idea.  In this one, I used golden raisins.



Now that the bowl is full of all these goodies, give it a good stir/toss.  Once it's mixed up nicely, it's ready to serve.  Have leftovers?  Throw them in the fridge and eat them tomorrow! 

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful...Salad.

If you know me at all, you know I have been bringing my own lunch since grade school.  I don't drink a Coke with my lunches anymore, but now drink a nice healthy glass of water.  And slim jims as a snack don't really fly either. 

Depending on the week, my lunches can range from your standard cold cut sandwich, to veggie wraps, to soup, to salad.  Today, I'm featuring the salad I've been making for the last few weeks.  It's simple, doesn't have a ton of ingredients, or calories for that matter.  This recipe isn't rocket science at all, but maybe its simplicity will give you inspiration to bring your lunch this week.  Bikini season IS right around the corner after all. 



I get a large container of the organic spring mix.  I highly recommend getting organic lettuce, as lettuce is one of the dirty dozen vegetables.  Check the date on the spring mix.  It doesn't tend to last more than 5 days, so you definitely don't want to get one that says it's only good until tomorrow, because it will never last you the full work week.  If you're making lunches for more than one person, you may want to pick up your spring mix at BJ's (yes, I know I single handedly keep BJ's in business with my 2 person household) because it will last you the whole week.  If you're cooking for 1, the container of spring mix at your local grocer should be big enough to last you for an entire work week.  And if you're cooking for more than 2, well I think you can figure it out. :-)



To my spring mix, I add halved cherry tomatoes, a little feta, some raisins, candied walnuts, and peppercinis (because I'm slightly addicted to them if you couldn't tell from my Pizza Stone post).  When I eat my salad at lunch, I always save my peppercinis for last, which is the same way I would eat the marshmallows in my Lucky Charms.  I measure out exactly one serving of balsamic vinaigrette to complete this salad (all the calories are in your salad dressing, so beware!).  Now, if you want a little something extra for your salad, you can add your favorite fruit, maybe some sliced strawberries or pears even! 

I typically have a Chobani yogurt as my snack with lunch (a new, recent addiction of mine).  It's delicious and filling!