‘In Char’s Kitchen’ ~ Season 3 Episode 1: Salads

If you’re in a salad rut, I’ve got you covered!! Two delicious and doable salad recipes that will no doubt in my mind become family favourites. Be sure and use the hashtag #InCharsKitchen when recreating these dishes and posting to social. I love seeing what everyone is whipping up at home!!

Loaded Wedge Salad

If you love iceberg lettuce as much as I do – this is the recipe for you!

Homemade Dilly Ranch Dressing

Once you make this homemade ranch dressing you’ll never buy store bought again.

1/2 cup (125 mL) each prepared mayonnaise and full fat sour cream

1/4 cup (60 mL) milk

finely grated zest of half a lemon

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper

1/4 cup (60 mL) each; finely chopped green onion and roughly chopped fresh dill

Stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week (I like to store my dressing in a mason jar).

Salad

1 medium head of iceberg lettuce, cut in 6 wedges

1 cup (250 mL) halved grape tomatoes

1 cup (250 mL) each chopped cooked bacon and flaked Milford Bay Smoked Trout

Muskoka Four Season Greens

Assembly: Place lettuce wedges on a platter. Drizzle with about half of Ranch dressing. Scatter remaining ingredients evenly over wedges. Garnish with Muskoka Four Season Greens. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Charlicious Salad

A little bit of this and a little bit of that = a delicious-meal-in-itself-salad.

6 cups (1.5 L) lightly packed mixed greens

1 cup (250 mL) chopped mixed herbs (such as: mint, dill, basil, parsley)

1 carrot, grated

half cucumber, chopped

½ cup (125 mL) very thinly sliced red onion

½ cup (125 mL) cooked wheat berries (or cooked quinoa or cooked wild rice or cooked bulgur)

½ cup (125 mL) each corn, roughly chopped walnuts and fresh blueberries

¼ cup (60 mL) pumpkin seeds

Sweet Ginger Dijon Dressing – yields ⅓ cup (75 mL)

2 tbsp (30 mL) liquid honey

2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh ginger

1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard (I like Saucy Moose Craft Beer Original Mustard click here for more info)

2 tsp (10 mL) cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

hefty pich salt and pepper

1 tbsp (15 mL) quality olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients and toss with salad. Serve immediately. Makes about 8 cups (2 L).

Tips:

~ add chopped hard boiled eggs, can of drained tuna or ½ cup (125 mL) chickpeas or black beans to salad for added plant protein.

~ garnish salad with crumbled goat or feta cheese

Charmaine is the host of “In Char’s Kitchen” , ‘In Char’s Kitchen Quarantine Edition’ & ‘In Char’s Kitchen Fitness Edition’ on YourTV Muskoka and regular guest on: Rogers IN Studio, CTV Morning Live Ottawa, CHCH Morning Live and Breakfast Television sharing her love and enthusiasm for all things food, cooking and fitness.