Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Asparagus, Toasted Pecans, Tomatoes, Fruit and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Welcome to the first edition of our new feature: Foodie Friday ... "thanks for the food".

Growing up I recall my grandfather always saying "thanks for the food" at the end of the meal.  When David and I married I had the honor of spending time with his grandmother who moved to Richmond to be close to family for support until she passed at 96 years old.  At the end of every meal we shared with David's gran she would say "taak for maten" which is Norwegian for "thanks for the food".    

Need I say any more about the name of our new feature?

So let's get this feature started!  Today we're going simple, fresh, and healthy while upgrading the dinner salad!

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Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Asparagus, Toasted Pecans, Tomatoes, Fruit and Balsamic Vinaigrette

{Foodie Friday: Mixed Greens, Grilled Asparagus, Toasted Pecans, Tomato, Feta, Fruit & Balsamic Vinaigrette.}

Greens:
I love using a variety of lettuces to keep the flavors interesting.  Since I buy my lettuce in advance to last 5 - 7 days I always incorporate a sturdy Romaine leaf and will also toss in baby lettuces and spinach when on hand.  And fresh chopped herbs if I have them ... I always have fresh basil in the summer because I grow that in an Earth Box (you can read about that here.)

Grilled Asparagus:
I grill outdoors year 'round.  If you prefer to cook indoors, asparagus can be roasted in the oven, single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil, at a high temp (450 F.) for approx. 15 - 20 mins or until a char crust develops.

However you prepare the asparagus you'll first want to snap about 2" off the bottom of the spear, and wash, drain / dry the asparagus; having a dry spear is important because if the asparagus is wet when cooked you'll basically steam it rather than searing.  For either grilling or oven searing I look for thick asparagus spears ... they are sturdy and hold up to the heat.

Once dry, toss the asparagus lightly in olive oil.  You can pick up with the oven instructions now if you like, but I'm heading to the grill.

You'll definitely want a flame but not a preheated grill; if you have a temperature gauge I grill asparagus between 150 - 200 F.  If you preheat the grill to a higher temp you might bake the asparagus and all I'm trying to do is sear the outside with a tasty crust and slightly soften the interior.  How long the asparagus grills outside often depends on weather conditions so stay close and monitor, but this goes quickly.

When the first side starts to brown, flip to grill the other side.  I know there are special baskets for grilling veggies but a long handle pair of kitchen tongs is my tool of choice.  You can scoop quite a few spears up with the tongs and turn them over. (Sorry about the blurry pic).

When the asparagus is finished, I lay it out on a sheet of foil on my countertop to cool.  I have granite counters and the stone helps to draw the heat off the asparagus, but air cooling on any surface is a good idea before refrigerating the spears.  It's never a good idea to put hot or warm food directly into the fridge.

I use a 9x12 pyrex (glass) pan with snap on lid to store the asparagus in the fridge.  Amazingly, I've found the asparagus to store and taste great for up to 5 days so you definitely can cook ahead and have a special salad nightly.

Toasted Pecans:
A nice crisp pecan adds crunch and sweetness to this salad.  You can skillet toast the pecans but I use a toaster oven.  Line a baking pan with foil and spread the pecans single layer.  Preheat the toaster oven to 325 F. convection (or traditional bake cycle) and bake the pecans for 8 minutes or until you can smell them.  Don't go too far away while cooking because pecans (and nuts in general) move from cooking, to cooked, to burned, very quickly.  They will crisp up as they cool.

Fruit:
We've enjoyed fresh strawberries, apples and chopped peaches in this salad.  In the winter we most often have dried cranberries or dried apples.  Each of these options are a wonderful addition and an easy way to incorporate a serving of fruit in your diet.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
This is our house salad dressing.  You really must try it; it makes this already great salad sing.  It is an emulsified vinaigrette with a smooth, creamy mouth feel.

-------- Our "Happily Home After" House Dressing Recipe --------

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (my preferred brand pictured above)

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

8 teaspoons sweetener (options below)

sugar, maple syrup, or your preferred sweetener would work

I use Splenda and the 8 teas. measure is based on this use of this product

Adjust the amount of sweetener based on the product you choose

1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, or to taste

Whisk the above ingredients until you have a throughly smooth and blended liquid balsamic base.

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To the balsamic base, slowly add the following while constantly whisking until all the olive oil is incorporated (continue whisking until the dressing no longer has a layer of oil on top of the base):

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (my preferred brand pictured above)

------- Tips -------

We've always heard that oil and vinegar don't mix, right?  

Tip: As long as you mix a binding agent - in this case the dijon mustard (or any mustard), with the vinegar first, the oil will blend into the base and yield a beautifully emulsified dressing just by using a whisk.  Just never try to do this in a single step because the oil will not incorporate well.

Another Tip: Once you have this base recipe you can experiment with different vinegar and mustard combinations.

For example, an apple infused balsamic and a spicy brown mustard with horseradish produces a tangy dressing that goes well with roast turkey and other fall favorites.

And Another Tip: This dressing does not require refrigeration; oil, vinegar and mustard will not spoil sitting on the countertop, even up to a week.  That makes this dressing an excellent choice for tailgating, picnics, potlucks and buffet style meals where the food can sit out for hours.

Final Tip: This dressing uses a 2:1 oil to vinegar ratio instead of the classic vinaigrette ratio of 3:1 ... that means there's proportionately less oil in this dressing and that means this is a lower calorie dressing.  Just thought you'd like know :)

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So, a great salad with added veggies and fruit to start your dinner ... cuts down on the need to prepare lots of other side dishes if you don't have the time for that.  I hope you give this salad a taste and I'd love to hear from you when you do.

And, this being our first Foodie Friday feature, I'd appreciate any feedback you have about the format, etc.  Feel free to leave your thoughts in the Comment Section below.  For this or anything we post you'll always find an icon for printing immediately above the Comment Section as well.

So next Friday will be our second edition of Foodie Friday ... I hope you visit again or we'd love to have you Follow this blog and automatically know what we've posted.  And as a "bonus" for this first feature, if you're looking for a suggestion to serve with this salad, how about a Butternut Squash Beef Stew with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary ... your welcome ... that recipe is here.  Thanks again!

Sharing With:
Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; 02/21/12 | Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
The Healthy Home Economist, Monday Mania 2/20/2012 — The Healthy Home Economist

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