Spring Salad With Creamy Goat Cheese Dressing Food

SPRING SALAD WITH BLUEBERRY BALSAMIC DRESSING

Steps:

• Toss spring greens, strawberries, 1 cup blueberries, blue cheese, and walnuts together in a bowl.
• Blend remaining blueberries, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and mustard together in a blender until dressing is smooth; season with salt and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH ORANGES AND CREAMY GOAT CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim the beets and place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the beets in the foil and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets, slice in half lengthwise, and then slice into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. For the dressing, heat 3/4 cup of the orange juice and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Whisk the orange juice reduction with the olive oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice, the goat cheese, champagne vinegar, heavy cream and 1 tablespoon water in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut off both ends of the oranges. Carefully cut off the skin and pith, and then slice the oranges in half and then into 1/4-inch half-moons. Mix together the arugula and onions in a large salad bowl. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Arrange the oranges and beets over each salad and drizzle with the dressing. Cook's Note: If using both golden beets and red beets, wrap them separately so the red beets don't dye the golden beets while they cook. Per serving: Calories 279; Total Fat 15 grams; Saturated Fat 6 grams; Protein 10 grams; Total Carbohydrate 30 grams; Sugar: 21 grams; Fiber 6 grams; Cholesterol 18 milligrams; Sodium 331 milligrams

BALSAMIC GOAT CHEESE SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Throw everything in the blender/food processor/hand-held immersion blender(mine has an attachment with a cup and lid, so I don't even need another container).
• Blend until everything is combined.
• Use right away or store in a jar in the fridge. You may need to give it a good shake just before using if you let it sit in the fridge for a few days.

CRUSTED GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• BREAD THE GOAT CHEESE: Dredge the goat cheese slices in flour, dip in egg mixture then in crumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (or up to 4 hours). This helps the bread crumbs adhere.
• MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: Mix the first 5 vinaigrette dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside.
• FRY THE GOAT CHEESE: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Fry the goat cheese slices about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to drain. Set aside.
• ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: In a large bowl, toss the salad with 3-4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette dressing. Divide among 4 plates. Place a crusted goat cheese slice on top of each salad. Sprinkle on garnishes of your choice and serve.

CRANBERRY, GOAT CHEESE, AND PECAN SALAD

Steps:

• In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together until well emulsified.
• Add the baby greens (4 cups) and toss together well with tongs to coat in the dressing.
• Add the sliced red onion (1/4 cup), the dried cranberries (1/4 cup), and the candied nuts (1/4 cup) to the bowl on top of the greens. Use the tines of a fork to crumble the soft goat cheese (2 oz.) directly into the bowl.
• Toss everything gently together. Divide into two serving bowls or plates and serve.

SPRING SALAD WITH CREAMY GOAT CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Spiced Pecans:
• In a small bowl combine the paprika, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat add the sugar and cook until all of the sugar is melted and light brown in color. Carefully whisk in the butter. Add the spice mix and turn off the heat. Add the pecans and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the pecans are completely coated. Spray with nonstick cooking spray which will help the pecans separate. Once all of the pecans are coated turn out onto a greased sheet tray or a sheet tray lined with a silicone mat. Break up any pieces that may be stuck together. Let cool 5 minutes before serving with the salad.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the goat cheese and buttermilk. Whisk in the remaining dressing ingredients until combined and smooth. Set aside.
• Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and fry until crispy and light brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
• Add the greens to a large bowl. Drizzle with 3/4 of the dressing, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to coat the greens. Transfer the salad to a platter and garnish with candied pecans, sliced grapes, and fried shallots. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.