Salads

Ah, Spring is here and my body craves greens. Ok, so there's apparently a 'thing' about bagged salad mixes... Oy! I ask you: what isn't an issue with someone these days? Get over it people. The rule for me is simple: if it stinks, is slimy or mushy or generally makes me want to vomit, I don't use it. Wash it if you want, but I believe that if my intention is loving what I'm making that energy makes up for a whole host of 'issues'.
SALADS!!!

I grill up chicken, steak or pork a few pieces at a time, storing it in the fridge for a few days, so that I can grab it for a salad and go. I tend to not overly season the meat so that it can fit with almost any taste I am craving. However if there is a particular taste I'm looking for, I marinate the meat in the dressing I am going to be using for the salad. My preferred brands of dressings are Paul Newman's and a local store called Fresh & Easy. Most importantly, these brands have no high fructose corn crap, and offer low sugar and low fat options. I especially like the Newman's brand as all the profit goes to charity. I also buy nuts, store them in the fridge and either crush or chop them as needed. The bagged salads I use are generally field greens, spring greens or baby spinach. I don't often use tomatoes as they wreck havoc with my joints, but feel free to add them to yours. OK, so with the meat and dressing ready, here are some yummy favorites of mine.

Strawberry Fields Forever
A generous handful of Field Greens with Herbs
Sliced strawberries
Crushed Pecans
Sweet Peas; fresh or frozen
Kerri -Gold Dubliner cheese, cut in tiny cubes (this is a dry cheese that has a sharp but buttery taste)
Chicken pieces
Balsamic dressing Croutons are always optional


Ham & Swiss; Hold the Rye
A generous handful of baby spinach
Halved, seedless red grapes
Either deli ham or grilled ham; diced/cubed
Aged Swiss; cubed
Crimini mushrooms; sliced
Red onions; thinly sliced
A Honey Dijon dressing
You can make rye croutons by toasting rye and then cubing it


Bar-B-Que Pork Salad
Here I use bar-b-qued pork chops that I basted with sauce while cooking
Chopped Romaine
Shredded Green Cabbage
Shredded Carrots
Pork chop pieces
Canned Baked Beans (amount and flavor to suit)
I make a dressing from mayo and the bar-b-que sauce and dress the salad about 30 minutes before I want to eat so that it has a cole slaw like consistency.


Blue Steak
I generally make a top round London Broil for this one, slicing it as I need it
A generous handful of Spring Greens
Chopped Scallions
Texas or Georgia Sweet Onions; diced; I go light on these
Blue Cheese crumbles
A light Blue Cheese dressing

Cranberry Citrus
A generous handful of Spring Greens or Baby Lettuces
Dried cranberries
Tangerine wedges
Finely chopped almonds
A chicken breast marinated in equal parts of balsamic vinegar and orange juice before grilling
The same mixture of vinegar and oj serves as the dressing

Mushroom Cheeseburger

A generous handful of Field Mix
Peas; fresh or frozen, uncooked
Corn; fresh or frozen, uncooked
Sauteed onions & baby bella mushrooms
Grilled burger with your choice of cheese; I like aged Swiss for this one
Place cooked burger and mushroom/onion mix atop salad
I used mayo, ketchup and spicy mustard all plopped on top of the burger; it's messy but delish