Easy Raw Salad Dressing Used Three Ways

Grape and Pear Salad

I made a dressing the other day that was so easy and very delicious. I decided to use it on three different salads. The first salad is one of my favorites. I love the combination of pear and romaine. I also tossed in some green grapes and sweet onion. The second salad started with baby spinach and was topped with a combo of fresh and dried fruits. The third salad is marinated with the dressing. I used Green Tea Kelp Noodles, some mushrooms, tomatoes, and fresh basil. I allowed it to marinate 24 hours and enjoyed a fabulous kelp noodle salad served on a bed of greens. Let's start with the dressing recipe:

Easy Raw Salad Dressing

In a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid combine the following:
1/3 C fresh lime or lemon juice
2 T raw honey
2 T organic Dijon (or use pure mustard powder)
First Cold Pressed EVOO
Pinch of dried basil or use fresh
Pinch of cumin powder
2 T dried onion flakes
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Shake well until fully mixed. Store in the refrigerator up to two weeks. Allow to sit at room temp for 30 min prior to use.

Grape and Pear Salad

1 small head of organic romaine thinly sliced
1/2 of a sweet onion, diced
1 pear, sliced thin
Handful of organic green grapes, cut in half
Drizzle with "Easy Raw Salad Dressing".

Easy Spinach Salad

Baby Spinach
1 pear, diced
1 kiwi, diced
1 handful of plain, dehydrated, unsweetened banana chips, chopped
2 T raw sunflower seeds, soaked 30 min
1 handful organic raisins
Drizzle everything with the "Easy Raw Salad Dressing".

Marinated Kelp Noodle Salad

1 pkg of white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small carton of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pkg of "Sea Tangle" green tea kelp noodles, soaked first for 30 min in water, rinse and drain well
Fresh basil, cut into thin strips
Marinate all of the above ingredients for 24 hours in the "Easy Raw Salad Dressing". Serve on top of a bed of your most favorite greens.

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for the smell of fires and cooler weather. The smell of wood fires brings back a flood of memories. I think back to cold winter nights in Michigan, growing up. I could smell everyone's fire in the neighborhood just as I would be going in for the night after playing hard outside. My cheeks were cold and my nose was running, and the smell of those fires was the best! I wanted to stay out longer just to smell them. The other memories are of all the campfires we have had over the years on our camping adventures. We love to camp and our favorite part is building our camp fire each night. We all sit around it and get mesmerized watching the flames. It is the most relaxing time for me, sitting in a camping chair with at least one child on my lap and just enjoying the silence. We don't get much silence around here, so I take it when I can get it. We have taken all of the kids camping ever since they were at least a minimum of 8 weeks old. We start them out young and just keep going forward. It makes all things come natural to them and makes for very happy campers.

RAW Pasta Salad

Zucchini Pasta Salad

Here is a delightful zucchini pasta dish that I just loved. I am having so much fun with my new spiralizer! I only like eating raw zucchini when it has been spiralized. It somehow changes the texture for the better. It really feels like you are eating noodles. I am in love with this dressing and had to find another recipe to use it on. Here it is:

Zucchini Pasta Salad with Balsamic Dijon Dressing

1 organic green zucchini, spiralized into long thin noodles

1 organic orange bell pepper, sliced

3 scallions, sliced

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Fresh organic basil leaves, sliced

Directions: Spiralize the zucchini and place on serving plate. Top the zucchini with the pepper, tomatoes, scallions and fresh basil. Drizzle on the Balsamic Dijon Dressing. Enjoy!

Balsamic Dijon Dressing

1/2 C First cold pressed EVOO

1/4 C Balsamic vinegar

2 T raw honey or real Maple Syrup

1 T organic Dijon mustard

2 tsp dried onion flakes

pinch of sea salt

pinch of black pepper

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.

Keeps in refrigerator for 4 weeks. Shake well before each use. Allow to sit at room temp for at least 30 min prior to using so honey and oils can liquefy.

~JMJ~ Today I am thankful for opportunities. We have been running around lately going to so many wonderful places and I am truly thankful for all that my children are learning and seeing. We have had some pretty amazing field trips this year and I look forward to planning many more for our group!

Raspberry Grapefruit Salad

Raspberry Grapefruit Salad

Here is a very simple and very delicious salad. As I have said before my favorite breakfast food is salad. I of course had this as my breakfast and it was wonderful. I just love how the simple dressing turned out. I used this same dressing on my Zucchinni Noodle Salad recipe that I will be posting next!!

Raspberry Grapefruit

Organic romaine, cut into thin strips

1 large grapefruit, peeled, seeded and diced

1 handful of organic raspberries

1 T Hemp seeds

1 T raw sesame seeds

Plate the lettuce and top with the grapefruit, raspberries, and seeds. Drizzle on some Balsamic Dijon Dressing. Enjoy!

Balsamic Dijon Dressing

1/2 C First cold pressed EVOO

1/4 C Balsamic vinegar

2 T raw honey or real Maple Syrup

1 T organic Dijon mustard

2 tsp dried onion flakes

pinch of sea salt

pinch of black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.

Keeps in refrigerator for 4 weeks. Shake well before each use. Allow to sit at room temp for at least 30 min prior to using so honey and oils can liquefy.

~JMJ~Today I am grateful for warm little ones in my bed. We are going through a cold front right now and down here in SW FL we are freezing at 50 degrees. We had 3 of the 5 kids pile in our bed this morning saying, "I'm cold!! I need to put on some sweat pants!" Too funny considering just last week we were complaining how hot it was.