An easy on-the-go lunch or dinner, this ranch chicken salad is a great way to repurpose your leftovers, make lunch grab-and-go, and ensure you’re eating right even when life feels like it’s running a marathon. I roll over, kicking the covers off and lying there in my bed, letting myself adjust to the temperature difference. The cold air washes over me. Slowly, I open my eyes, daylight streaming in through the windows feels far too bright for the time of day. Closing my eyes again, I... more

Large cannellini beans, barley, and arugula mix together to become an easy salad for bringing to the park to enjoy on a warm spring day. April 22nd is Earth Day. Get involved. Have a Picnic for the Planet. The weather has been kind lately. Too kind, almost. Where I live the weather can change quickly, from sunny and warm to cold and snowing overnight (as it did Sunday to Monday this week). The changing seasons and shifting temperatures remind us to take advantage of the good weather while it’s... more

A springtime salad with lemon roasted asparagus, quinoa with lemon vinaigrette and roasted shallots, all atop a fresh spinach bed. Easter is coming. This isn’t a new revelation. It’s just fact, a fact that I’ve been avoiding. I may have even been hiding from it as though it frightens me. The same way I cowered under my covers after viewing a TV special in the ’80s, convinced that a panther lie in wait in my closet. I was paralyzed by fear then, knowing that if I moved even... more

A simple salad for the last days of summer with an Asian-inspired honey sesame dressing and marinade. Every year I feel as though I’m hanging on to the last bits of summer, wishing the sun’s rays to remain warm and strong just a bit longer so as to delay the inevitable winter, the graying of the plants and the whiteness that will eventually come and blanket my little piece of the earth. I appreciate the seasons. I suppose any true Minnesotan must, lest you drive yourself crazy. There’s... more

This grilled romaine salad with blue cheese vinaigrette is perfect for a romantic Valentine’s Day meal or any day of the week. It’s easy to do both on a grill pan over a range or on a grill outside if you’re up to braving the cold. Grilled lettuce is a bit of an odd concept I suppose. What we traditionally serve as cold and crisp is getting thrown on the grill, which is great fun if you love the grill like a certain someone around here. Personally, I love the grill plenty,... more

Dried cranberries, pecans and blue cheese come together with a slightly sweet poppy seed dressing. This salad is becoming a tradition during the holiday season for us, served at our Christmas dinner. With the mix of sweet and salty, it’s the perfect introduction to the rich foods that follow. I am so honored to be a part of Share Our Strength’s 7-course progressive dinner Share Our Holiday Table with 50 other bloggers this week. Through Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign,... more

This is a post about bean salad. A Mediterranean bean salad I made back in June. It has taken me this long to share it, but that’s because I had some other sharing I was obligated to do. It’s a post about Greek seasoning on chicken. It’s a post about stuffing it all together in a pita, serving it with tzatziki to make a chicken gyro and having a wonderful meal with your family and your friends and your neighbors. It’s a post about food. This is a post about the food I... more