Asian Salad (AKA Lunch)

Cleaning the veggie drawer again to figure out what is for lunch.  I have lettuce and part of an English seedless cucumber I better use up.  Also have some celery to add more crunch.  Have an opened bag of a Pizazz rice noodle medley to top the salad and a can of Mandarin oranges in the pantry.  I have all the makings for a great simple salad for lunch.  

Lettuce (anything you might have in the veggie drawer – mine is iceberg)

1 stalk of celery

¼ of an English seedless cucumber

Handful of Asian Cashew Medley

½ of a small can of Mandarin oranges (Save the juice)

Drain your oranges and save the juice the oranges are packed in for making the dressing.  Chop your celery in small pieces.  Peel and chop your cucumber in small pieces (You can leave the skins on if you like).  Chop or pull your leaves of lettuce apart. 

Add your lettuce, celery and cucumber together and toss.  Top with oranges and a handful of the Cashew Medley.  Salt and pepper to your taste.

You may have other things in the refrigerator that would go good with this.  If you had some cold left over cold chicken it would be great.  I had tomatoes, but wanted it to be Asian so decided not to use them.  Anything Asian would go great like pea pods, green onion or edameme.

For the salad dressing, since it has the Asian flavor of the medley and oranges going for it, I’m going with an Asian flavor dressing I tossed together.  I don’t use a recipe because I just toss it together, but this is pretty close I think.

Juice from the Mandarin oranges you drained (all of it)

1 tbs. soy sauce

3 tbs. of a good balsamic vinegar (You can use a wine or apple vinegar too)

1 tbs. sugar

2 tbs. olive oil

Kosher Salt and pepper

Put all the ingredients into a mason jar and shake it well.  Taste it and see if it is too your liking.  If you think it needs more acid, add more vinegar or add more salt and pepper if you think it needs more.  You will have enough to use for at least 1 or 2 more salads.  Refrigerate any dressing left.

I love salads when I don’t know what to fix for lunch.  There are no rules.  You just need to reach for what you have and toss it together.  I especially love it when there is a product that dresses them up and takes the salad to a whole new level.  I love the packaged salad topping mixes with dried fruit and/or nuts that are on the market that give crunch, saltiness, sweetness, protein and great taste.  I’m in the process of trying them all.  So far I love them all.  It turns a very plain salad into a whole meal including dessert.

Hope you have a great day, be happy and may God bless you and yours.