Summer salad

Up here at "the cottage" you can't help but eat healthy.  You are surrounded by fruit orchards and fields of fresh produce with an abundance of healthy food.  One can't help but be inspired to create new, healthy dishes.

Here is a salad recipe I conjured up 2 nights ago.  It combines sweet and savoury flavours, my favourite!  I just started pulling ingredients out of my fridge and came up with this. I call it " Rosie's Quick Salad".

Rosie's Quick Salad

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Romaine lettuce - chopped

1 can peaches and cream corn

Feta cheese

1 package dried figs

1 can black beans

Leftover blackened chicken pieces

Cracked pepper

Lighthouse Garden Veggie Salad dressing

Apple cider vinegar

1 package Dan-D-Pak Ranger mix (mostly peanuts)

Basically, you just need to do a lot of sprinkling for this recipe. I made 1 individual salad for me (and had leftovers) but this recipe yields plenty for several salads. Assemble each salad individually. (Somehow it is easier that way!) 

Cut up the washed romaine lettuce.  Arrange the lettuce on individual plates. Sprinkle with drained corn (approx. 1-2 Tablespoons) per salad. Sprinkle with drained and rinsed black beans (approx. 1-2 T.)  Cut up the figs using kitchen shears and sprinkle on the salads. (Approx. 3-4 per salad).  Sprinkle feta cheese on each salad.  Arrange pieces of leftover blackened chicken breast to each salad.  (I had 1 breast leftover from dinner the night before).  Add freshly cracked pepper.  Top with the Dan-D-Pak ranger mix or cashews or peanuts. ( I love putting something crunchy on my salads so often add nuts or seeds of some kind.  I usually have some seed mix blend for salads in my fridge at all times)

Top with your favourite salad dressing.  I think this salad lends itself well to something light and creamy so I combined Lighthouse Garden Veggie Ranch Dressing with a little bit of apple cider vinegar (or you could use a little milk) until it is a thin, milky consistency.  Top the salad with the dressing.

I have recently discovered a recipe for a rub for Blackened Fish or Chicken and have tweaked it and now cannot get enough of this rub.  I have been making this and using it on fish or chicken almost daily now and never seem to get tired of it.  It is so simple and so delicious and best of all, so healthy.

Blackened Fish/Chicken Rub

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1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. dried oregano

3/4 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt. You don't want it too salty)

1/8 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I use less as this is spicy for me)

1/4-1/2 tsp. freshly cracked pepper

I usually double this recipe.  The above will cover about 4 small pieces of fish on both sides.

Wash and pat dry your fish or chicken.  Rub the rub on both sides of the meat and fry at a high heat in olive oil, using a sturdy frying pan. ( Some recipes call for a cast iron frying pan, but I have used regular ones as well).  Heat until the meat is cooked, turning to cook thoroughly. For chicken, I buy chicken tenders or cut up the chicken breasts into strips, so that they will cook faster. For fish,  I usually use sole fish as it is easy to find, but any firm white fish will do.  I guarantee you will love this recipe!  Let me know if you make it and if you become hooked like I did!!!

Rosie