Red Cabbage Salad with Poppy Seed and Caramelized Onion Vinaigrette

The crunch, the color; everything about this dish screams summer. Shredded red cabbage is a real eye grabber, and the vinaigrette helps brighten up the flavor of the dish. I flavored the vinaigrette with mustard, pickled garlic, sugar and a little sour cream for a velvety texture. I was inspired by my butter chicken recipe, where I fried onions, drained the oil, and mixed in sour cream. You don't have to add sour cream to the vinaigrette, but otherwise it's too healthy.

Vegetarian Orzo Pasta Salad

Orzo is a rice shaped pasta that is very convenient for making salads. Just dice all the vegetables the same size as the orzo grains, add a vinaigrette, and you're all set. If you need meat in your meal, diced smoked turkey is a healthy and tasty option.

The reason I made this is that Lulu's family organized a fun picnic for Memorial weekend in Big Basin. It was a pot luck, and I volunteered to make the veggie dish. The orzo pasta salad is easy to make and easy to transport, which are both important considerations when you're planning a picnic. Just drizzle the vinaigrette when you're ready to eat.  Make it for your next family picnic or barbecue; it's guaranteed to be a hit!

Brown Butter Crouton and Mandarin Segment Salad with a Sugar Cane Vinaigrette

Again! I had a leftover baguette from last night's dinner. But never fear, I had a plan. I have a number of go-to recipes that are tailored for leftovers. Waste not, want not.

Croutons are a perfect way to recycle stale, crusty bread. To kick up the flavor, I soaked the bread in brown butter. In French, brown butter is called beurre noisette, which literally means hazelnut butter. It really does impart a nutty flavor to the croutons. I used the extra brown butter for the vinaigrette that I paired with sugar cane juice and sugar cane vinegar. I also added whole mandarin segments to add a citrus-y flavor.

Creamy Gorgonzola Ranch Salad Dressing

I had some gorgonzola left over from the cheese soufflé I made yesterday, so I decided to make a salad dressing out of it. Instead of going for the obvious choice of making a bleu cheese dressing with the gorgonzola, I opted to make a ranch dressing. Ranch salad dressing is a blend of mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk and spices. Traditional mayonnaise calls for egg yolks but my 9-year-old- sister-in-law is deathly allergic to eggs so I substitute it with homemade vegenaise made with silken tofu.

This flavorful salad dressing meets everyone's diet restrictions in my home while still being delicious. I hope you will enjoy it as well.

Leeks served with a Kumquat Clementine Vinaigrette

Leeks vinaigrette is a simple and healthy recipe to welcome Spring. The leeks are simply steam-cooked and then drizzled with the vinaigrette. I brightened the vinaigrette with some sweet clementines and kumquats from my garden. The zest of the citrus brings a lot of flavor.

Leeks are from the onion family but their taste is much more subtle and mild. In fact, they have a natural, gentle sweetness that can be paired very successfully with more sour, acidic flavors. If you've never had leeks, it's time to give them a try!