Going Green

A staple of every meal when I was growing up was salad. It was on the table every night. And for the most part, I continue to eat salad every day, either with lunch or dinner. The problem is, sometimes I get tired of those greens, and I'll go a month or longer without eating any, which is not ideal.

This past fall, in an effort to spice things up and literally taste the season, I created my own "Autumn Salad." It was delicious, like October in a bowl. And I ate them throughout the winter.

Now the weather is warming up, and the opening of my local farmer's market is on the horizon. To keep salad interesting and take advantage of what's in season, I found that swapping a few ingredients puts the taste of spring in my bowl. Yum!

Autumn Salad

• Salad greens - hearts of romaine are my favorite
  
• Handful of raisins - craisins would be equally delicious
  
• Chopped apple - Gala works best because it takes a long time to brown
  
• 2 tablespoons blue cheese - gorgonzola is my favorite
  
• glazed pecans (recipe below)
  
• Balsamic vinegarette dressing

Spring Salad

• Salad greens - hearts of romaine are my favorite
  
• Sliced strawberries
  
• 2 tablespoons feta cheese
  
• glazed pecans (recipe below)
  
• Balsamic vinegarette dressing

Glazed Pecans
Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole nuts
  
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.


3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Spread into a single layer on cookie sheet.


4. Bake for 25 minutes, turning over halfway through.

Tip: For even easier clean up, line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.