Spinach & Strawberry Salad

March 27, 2023 Amanda Plott

Yes, I'm a huge salad fan. I love all the veggies and different ways to dress up your leafy greens with one dressing or another. Plus, there's just something refreshing about indulging in a crisp cool salad when it's upwards of 80... 90... 100 degrees. Which we’ve already gone over 80 here!

So I guess what I'm saying is... be prepared for the montage of salad recipes that are sure to come this way through the next few months. Strawberry and spinach salad is actually one of my old favorites. I think it was one of the first salads that I ever had feta cheese on. It could even be when I fell in love with feta cheese…

Skinny Balsamic Vinaigrette

March 24, 2023 Amanda Plott

I actually made this Balsamic Vinaigrette back in 2013, so naturally after 10 years I thought it was due for an update. Balsamic Vinaigrette is one of my favorite salad dressings. It’s tangy and light and full of flavor.

I've lightened up this classic dressing by subbing water and chia seeds for some of the oil. It's an old but rather faithful trick that I picked up from my mom some years ago when she would make her own Italian salad dressing. And by 'make her own', I mean mix oil and water with a packet…

Caprese Pasta Salad

June 27, 2021 Amanda Plott

As it’s getting hotter and hotter outside I’m craving the cold stuff. The lighter stuff. The stuff I don’t have to turn my oven on to enjoy. This Caprese Pasta Salad is just that. Get it started in the morning when it’s cool out and then finish it off in the afternoon or evening as lunch, dinner, or a side for one of the two. The pasta dish itself is based off one of my all time favorites - caprese!

What’s a caprese? Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar in one form or another. I basically turned that into a light, easy to make salad that includes fresh baby spinach and some pasta to make it just a little more hearty…

Red, White & Blueberries Caprese (With Balsamic Reduction)

July 3, 2019 Amanda Plott

I thought I would squeeze one more festive dish in ahead of the 4th of July for everyone. This one is light and fresh and sure to impress with how simple it is and how amazing it tastes! With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of hands on time, you’ll have a beautiful and patriotic caprese salad for all to enjoy.

Caprese salads have been some of my favorites for many many years now. They’re refreshing and notoriously simple. Which means they’re easy to make! Besides, who doesn’t love tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil? No one that I know of!…

Rustica Salad

October 30, 2018 Amanda Plott

Well, I guess I spoke too soon about the weather cooling off. It’s been cooler, yes… but we’ve still gotten well up into the 80’s for a couple of days this week. It’s been nice for the most part, crips mornings, warm days, and cool evenings to follow. And while I’m completely set on Fall and Winter meals now, I still needed to toss in a light salad into the mix this week.

I’m calling this the ‘rustica salad’ because that’s the name of the salad that I got the idea for this one from. Of course, I had to put my own spin on it with a homemade dressing and plenty of toppings. The homemade Skinny Balsamic Vinaigrette is one of my favorites. I make a double or triple batch of it up at a time and keep it on hand in the fridge quite often…

Tropical Chicken Salad & Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

May 16, 2018 Amanda Plott

Summer lovin' happened so fast...

This salad was inspired by the one served at a local Mexican Restaurant that I first went to a few years back now. I was first introduced to the salad while at lunch with my Sister-in-Law and Aunt. I think it was of the best salads that I had ever eaten. And that's saying a lot since I have eaten my fair share of salads over my lifetime.

I've haven't been back to that restaurant in a good long while. Maybe that's because a couple of years back I cracked the code on their salad!