Baker House Dressing And Main Dish Tossed Salad

Please, for the love of God, don't buy dressing. It is so very easy to make. There are infinite combinations of vinegars, oils and herbs that you could use. This recipe is just a starting point. This dressing keeps for at least one week in the fridge. I always have a jar on the go.

Five Reasons Why You Should Make Your Own Salad Dressing Rather Than Buy It
1. Homemade dressing does not have any high fructose corn syrup or preservatives in it.
2. You have control over the salt and sugar content.
3. Homemade dressing is cheaper than store bought.
4. It's very easy, almost effortless.
5. It tastes way, way better.

The Dressing

I found this bottle at my supermarket. It holds about 1 1/2 cups of liquid. This bottle stays full of dressing all of the time. I fill it about once per week.

Start by adding all of the dry ingredients. Garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper and any herbs that you would like to add. I use onion and garlic powder because they flow better through my topper. Add the honey and dijon mustard too. You can use fresh herbs, if you wish. The dressing will stay fresher, longer if you use dried herbs.

Next, add the oil. I like extra virgin olive oil.

Then add the vinegar. Every thing will sink to the bottom. The ratio is 2/3 oil to 1/3 vinegar.

This is what happens to the dressing as it sits in the fridge. Extra virgin olive oil becomes solid at fridge temperature. The vinegar and other ingredients sink to the bottom. The solid bit of oil at the top acts as a barrier. No air or bacteria can get into the vinegar layer. This is why this dressing lasts so long, the oil actually preserves the freshness of the dressing. Take the dressing out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you use it. The oil will liquefy again as it come to room temperature.

  

The Salad

If you are interested in eating more plants and maintaining a healthy diet this is a great way to start. 

We eat this salad at least three times per week for supper. It is satisfying, delicious and super healthy. 

 This is the basic foundation of our favourite salad. I always include about one cup of chopped cabbage, grated raw carrot, and green onions. Not only is cabbage inexpensive and super healthy, it helps to keep you full for longer because it takes longer to digest than the other ingredients. It adds a lot of fibre to this salad.

Top the cabbage, carrots and onions off with a big handful of greens. What ever is the freshest in your grocery or garden. This is a mixture of spring greens from my grocery. Add any fresh herbs if you like. Dill, cilantro, parsley anything goes.

A common addition to our salad is cold, roasted beets. Another inexpensive and nutrition packed vegetable. I like to roast my beets whole. Wash the raw, unpeeled beets. Scrub them with a vegetable brush. Put them into a roasting pan with a bit of water, cover and bake them for one hour or until they are tender. Let them cool. When they are cool enough to handle, put on a pair of rubber gloves, peel and slice the beets. They will keep for a week in the fridge. 

Other additions to our salad include raw, unsalted nuts, hard boiled egg, avocado, cheese (goat cheese is great with the beets), cooked chicken or turkey, ham, cottage cheese, left-over roasted veggies the list is endless. This salad is rarely the same twice. 

I like to bake a bunch of beets and boil a bunch of eggs on the weekend so that during the week all I have to do is throw everything into the bowl. We use pasta bowls for our salad. It's a large portion.

Customize your salad. It's the best! Watch me make it on You Tube!

 It is normal for extra virgin olive oil to become solid when cooled to fridge temperature. Just let it sit on the counter for a bit or let the jar sit in some warm water. It liquefies quickly when warmed to room temperature.

This salad dressing is similar to Italian type salad dressings. Use it exactly as you would purchased Italian dressing.

Adding eggs, nuts, cheese or cooked chicken or turkey makes it substantial enough for a main dish. Protein digests slower than veggies, so adding protein to your salad will keep you feeling full for a longer period of time.


Baker House Dressing

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or use red wine vinegar, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar or a combination of any)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon onion powder or 1 green onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of a combination of dried herbs like oregano, basil and thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Main Dish Salad
Foundation
3/4-1 cup chopped green cabbage
1/4 cup grated, raw carrot
1 green onion
2 cups greens (lettuce, arugala, kale, etc.)

Start with the above three ingredients in each bowl.

Then add a combination of the following
Chopped tomato
Chopped bell pepper
Chopped cucumber
Broccoli florets
Cauliflower florets
Roasted beets
Unsalted nuts
Cooked chicken
Cooked turkey
Ham
Cooked beef
Cooked fish
Cooked shrimp
Croutons
Cheese (goats, cheddar, swiss, or cottage)
Fresh herbs
Hard boiled egg
Left-over cold veggies (potatoes, asparagus, green beans, corn, peas, etc)
Avocado

Seriously, add whatever you have in your fridge. There are endless possibilities. We never get tired of eating this salad because it is rarely the same twice.

Tomato and Herb Salad

Nice Tomatoes

I love growing tomatoes. I love all of  the different varieties that are available. Each with certain characteristics that make it special.  No matter were you live, in whatever climate, there is a tomato that will grow in your area. If you can't grow your own make sure that you support your local farmers market. There simply is no comparison between home grown tomatoes and supermarket tomatoes.

It seemed like a good idea in May to plant seven cherry tomato plants. I'm rethinking that now as I am overrun with cherry tomatoes. Not really so much of a hardship. I will likely plant the same number of plants again next year.

This salad is a perfect way to enjoy your bountiful harvest. There are very few ingredient in this salad so it is important to make sure that everything is very good quality.

I have used cherry tomatoes here, but any size would be fine.Halve the small tomatoes and quarter the larger ones.

I love the different colours in the bowl

Next step: Make the dressing. This is a very simple vinaigrette. Combine the oil and vinegar, mustard, salt and sugar. Whisk well to combine.

Chop the herbs. There is a lot of herbs in this salad. Add the herbs to the tomatoes.

Pour the dressing on top of the herbs

Toss the tomatoes and herbs gently to combine.

Eat right away or put into fridge for and hour before eating. This salad tastes best at room temperature.

So fresh and tasty. Tastes like summer.

Watch me make it on Youtube 

4-6 cups tomatoes(I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped( can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried basil if fresh is not available)
 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Halve or quarter the tomatoes. Combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Chop the parsley and basil, add the herbs to the salad. Pour the dressing on top of the salad. Toss, gently to coat the tomatoes. Serve immediately, or place salad into the fridge for up to an hour before eating. This salad tastes best at room temperature.

Kale,Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad

This hearty salad is great to have in your summer arsenal as it goes really well with barbecued meat. Its topped with a sweet/tart raspberry vinaigrette that is sweetened with raspberry jam. More like a cold slaw than a salad, it will keep for a few days in the fridge. If you think that you don't like kale, try this, I bet that you will change your mind.

Kale is soooo easy to grow. This is my kale patch. I planted the seeds in April and it was ready to eat by June.

I planted the seeds using my seed tape method(see how to make your own seed tape here.) The plants are perfectly spaced and therefore have the optimal room to grow.

Just break the more mature leaves off and the plant keeps growing.
Another great thing about growing kale is that it will tolerate a few degrees of frost. This is perfect for my short growing season. I will have kale into October.

Kale is readily available these days in the supermarket. Use baby kale if you can find it. The mature kale also works.

A basket full. It looks like a lot, but it's kind of fluffy. I will use half of this basket for the salad and the other half will go into the fridge for another time.

A quick rinse in the sink to remove any dirt. Use a salad spinner to dry the leaves. Place unused kale in a plastic bag. It will keep for a week in the fridge.

If your kale leaves are small, like the one no the left the stem is nice and tender, no need to remove it. If your kale leaves are large, like the one on the right, the stem is tough and fibrous, you must remove it.

Use a large knife and cut the leaves away from the stem. Discard the stem.

Stack the leaves on top of each other.

Slice through the stack so that you have little ribbons of kale. Watch my video to see how I did it.

Keep slicing until you have about 10-12 cups of shredded kale.

Next step. Make the raspberry vinaigrette. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard,green onion, garlic, jam, salt and pepper. Whisk until mixture is combined and emulsified. I have used homemade raspberry jam here but you can use whatever you have. Feel free to add a bit more jam if you prefer it a bit sweeter.

Pour dressing over kale and toss well to coat the leaves. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 3 hours. The leaves will wilt a bit but they will not become soggy, as a lettuce salad would. Baby kale is  more tender than mature kale. You may have to let the salad sit a bit longer if you use mature leaves.

While the leaves are in the fridge, toast the nuts. In an ungreased non-stick pan combine the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and slivered almonds. Cook over low heat until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Watch them closely, they can burn quickly. Let the nuts cool before adding them to the salad.

Just before serving, toss the nuts and cranberries with the kale. Toss to combine. I like to serve my goat cheese on the side, but you could add it to your salad at this point.

It's so delicious. Vary the seeds, and fruit if you wish. Walnuts would be a good substitution. You could also use apples, pears or grapes instead of the cranberries.  

Watch me make it on You Tube.

Makes enough for 6 people

10-12 cups shredded kale leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cups crumbled goats cheese
 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Dressing
6 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon raspberry flavored wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 clove garlic, minced
3 teaspoons raspberry jam(add more if you have a sweet tooth)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Vary the cheese for a different twist. Feta, or grated Swiss would work. I have also changed the fruit up. A sweeter apple, crisp pear or halved red grapes all work with this.

Garden Herb Green Goddess Vegetable Dip and Salad Dressing

 Originating in the 1920's at a San Francisco hotel, Green Goddess Dressing has indeed been around for a long time. This is my version of it. Packed with fresh herby flavour it is great with fresh veggies, a garden salad, just picked tomatoes and it goes particularly well with hard boiled eggs.

Just a few basic ingredients. No fillers or preservatives here.

The avocado makes the texture silky and smooth, the fresh herbs provide a flavour punch and the lemon and yogurt give it a nice tang.

Vary the kinds of herbs to suit your family. As long as they are fresh , any herb could be used.

I like to make this using my ninja blender cup. You will need a blender to make this dressing.

Everything goes onto the blender. Easy peasy.

In the summer, people prefer to have lighter fair like veggies and salads and the like. This dip will take your raw veggies to another level.

It will keep for a week in your refrigerator.

It is also good on sandwiches and wraps.

Or on top of a garden salad.

So fresh and tasty

Watch Me Make It On Youtube.

Garden Herb Green Goddess Vegetable Dip and Salad Dressing
1 ripe avocado

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup fresh herbs, packed ( I like cilantro, parsley, and basil)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 green onion

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon on honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Asian Noodle Salad

Absolutely chalked full  of vegetables, and tossed with a super flavourful dressing. This salad keeps for a week in the fridge and makes an absolute tonne. It does not get soggy at all. The flavour actually deepens as it sits. Whole wheat pasta has about 10 grams of protein per serving making this salad filling and satisfying. It is a great acompanyment for grilled meat but is hearty enough to stand alone as a main dish salad.

Start by breaking the entire box of whole wheat pasta into half inch lengths. Cook the pasta in a large amount of salted water. Cook the pasta until it is soft. Drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking make the dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients into a blender jar and blend until the cilantro is pulverized.

Pour the dressing onto the warm cooked noodles. Toss to coat. Let the noodles and dressing sit at room temperature while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Julienne carrots, snap peas, red pepper, and radishes. I have also made this salad with julienned broccoli stalks or julienned jicama.
Use your discretion and add what you like. I would stick to firmer veggies like celery, 'wetter' veggies like tomatoes or cucumber would make the salad soggy.

Combine everything, mixing well. Put into a covered container and into the fridge. This salad gets better as it sits. Serve cold or at room temperature.




Watch me make it on Youtube




Dressing
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon mild curry paste or 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

The Salad
375 gram package whole wheat spaghetti broken into 1/2 inch lengths, cooked and drained
2 cups snow peas or sugar snap peas, julienned
2 cups carrots, julienned
2 cups red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 cup julienned radish
1 cup julienned broccoli stalk or jicama(optional)

Mediterranean Quinoa and Lentil Salad

A great accompaniment to grilled meat. Hearty enough on its own as vegetarian main dish. It keeps very well. This salad does not get soggy. In fact the flavour deepens as it sits.

Add any vegetable, cooked or raw,that you like. Asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, they all work.

It is very versatile and forgiving.

Best served at room temperature.




Start by cooking the quinoa. Combine 1 cup dried quinoa with 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, stir well, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.

Chop bell pepper and onion into bite sized pieces. Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half. Chop one cup of Italian parsley.

Saute chopped mushrooms in one tbsp olive oil. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, add the peppers and onion. Cook until the peppers are tender-crisp.

I have used Beluga lentils this time. You can use canned lentils or chickpeas or omit them if you wish.
I like Beluga lentils because they don't fall apart when they are cooked.

While the mushrooms cook, make the dressing. Combine oil,vinegar,lemon juice,garlic,salt,sugar,onion powder,oregano,mustard,sugar,thyme and paprika. Whisk until combined well. This is a great all purpose Italian-type dressing. It is great on a green lettuce salad and keeps for one week in the fridge.

Let the vegetables cool. Let the quinoa cool. Combine everything except feta cheese. Toss ingredients with dressing. Top with feta cheese.







Mediterranean Quinoa and Lentil Salad

• 1 (14 oz ) can lentils or chickpeas, drained and rinsed(optional)
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 purple onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup chopped Italian parsley

Dressing

• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Cook quinoa as directed.
Saute mushrooms in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden. Add the chopped pepper and onion and saute until tender crisp. Let the vegetables cool.
Combine drained and rinsed chickpeas or lentils, cooked and cooled quinoa, onion, red pepper, cooled mushrooms, tomatoes,  and parsley.
Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar(or equivalent). Shake or mix until well combined.
Pour dressing over quinoa mixture. Stir gently to combine. Top with feta cheese. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Keeps well for a week in the fridge.

Watch me make it on Youtube