Happy New Year!

The first week in January usually equals crowded gyms, abstaining from alcohol and mass consumption of salads… Let’s talk about that last item!
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We love salads. In fact we eat them for lunch almost every day (when we’re not fishing…). Our salads are fridge-clearing works of art. 

• Tons of vegetables - and not just lettuce - kale, cabbage, carrots, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes...
• Avocados - always!
  
• Chopped fresh fruit - especially apples and pears or dried fruit - raisins, elderberries
• Chopped fresh herbs 
• Toasted nuts - pecans, walnuts, almonds
• Seeds - sesame seeds, chia seeds
• Grated cheeses especially full flavored hard cheeses
• Hard boiled eggs
• Protein - smoked or roasted salmon, bacon bits, shrimp, shredded turkey or chicken

And then of course, the dressing. David loves blue cheese (we often “extend” it with a splash or two of buttermilk) but I’m usually down for something more unique.  Right now I am loving this version of a Ceaser salad dressing -  It’s delicious! If you make a triple batch and keep it thick you can use the extra if for a tasty dip with vegetables, and then just thin what’s left with a little water to make it into more of a dressing when needed.  

I’m also happy to “feed” an existing salad dressing bottle to keep it alive… It’s not out of the question that we have salad dressing bottles that are 2, 3 years old in our refrigerator. As soon as one is about to be emptied, I add vinegar (usually apple cider), a splash of oil (walnut, olive or avocado) some mustard, and whatever else might strike my fancy.  

Bon Appetit also recently had some suggestions for making your own dressings here that I found pretty interesting. Just get creative! And make small batches, that way if you don’t really like how it turned out your not out $15 for that 10 oz. of hazelnut oil you dumped in there.

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