Category Archives: Recipes

Recipe // roasted beet salad with goat cheese and pecans

March 22, 2013

This is my favorite salad as of late, I seriously crave it all the time it is so good!  Roasting the beets brings out the natural sugars, and they taste amazing!  Even if you don’t think you like beets, give them a second shot!  

{Roasted beet salad with goat cheese, pecans, and red onions}
Mixed greens
Red Onions (Sliced and soaked in water for several hours to take the edge off)
Pecans, chopped
Goat Cheese, crumbled
Roasted Beets, sliced
To Roast beets, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the tops and roots off of the beets.  Pierce it with a fork several times, and place them in a baking dish with the skins on.  Roast in the oven for about 1 hour and a half, or until the beets are soft all the way through when you pierce it with a fork.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Peel/cut the skins off the the beets and slice.  Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup [8 ounces]
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard [i prefer maille brand]
1/2 tsp coarse salt [like sea salt]
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons agave nectar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp walnut oil [found locally at target]
In a small bowl whisk together first five ingredients well.  Slowly drizzle in oils as you whisk allowing the dressing to emulsify.
Prepare salad by placing of layer of mixed greens, then sliced roasted beets, chopped pecans, red onion, then goat cheese. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe // strawberry mozzarella balsamic salad

February 21, 2013

I am craving summer with all this cold weather, but for now, I am going to just take advantage of some of the strawberries I am starting to see at the market!  I love unexpected salads with amazing ingredients that blend well together!  The combination of strawberries, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic vinaigrette is amazing, and it makes for the perfect light lunch or an addition to your dinner!
{Strawberry Mozzarella Balsamic Salad}
Mixed greens (spinach or romaine also works well!)
Sliced Fresh Strawberries
Fresh Mozzarella cut into cubes
Chopped Pecans
Fresh Basil chopped
Simple Balsamic Dressing (makes 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
1 teaspoons agave nectar
1/4 sea salt
1/4 fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together all of the ingredients except for the olive oil.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Arrange the salad with the greens first, then sliced strawberries, mozzarella, chopped pecans, then top with fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve. 
Enjoy!

valentine’s day + french macarons …

February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine’s Day Friends!

Every year that goes by, I love Valentine’s day more and more!  I think it’s always fun to celebrate Love!

I am going to be posting for an amazing site called Project Wedding!  I’m excited to be a contributor over there, and I wanted to pop in to let you know about my first post all about how to make French Macarons!

For the step by step tutorial for the french macarons, and the recipe, click on over to my post on Project Wedding.

{photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake}

All you need is love print by, Caravan Shoppe.