A Trio of Salads

I've made three yummy salads as main dishes in the last two weeks, all a little different.

Roasted Beet, Apple & Goat cheese Salad




3 beets
3 apples
salt & pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
small package goat cheese
package baby greens

Beet Dressing

Juices from beets
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp walnut oil

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap the beets and apples in separate foil parcels, seasoning with salt & pepper and drizzling with a tbsp olive oil each.
Roast apples for about 20 minutes and beets for 40 minutes until tender. Then let cool. When cool enough peel beets & cut both into cubes.
Reserve the liquid from the beets cooking and cooling and add the dressing ingredients. (Any oil/vinegar combo would do) Whisk together.
Combine greens, beets, apples, cheese & dressing & Enjoy!!


Spinach, Bacon & Cranberry Salad



4 slices bacon
5 oz bag of baby spinach
1 small apple
small handful dried cranberries
1 tbsp roasted sunflower seeds

Cranberry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup cranberry juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 small packet (about 1/4 tsp) sugar substitute or sugar
salt & pepper

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Let cool & chop into small pieces.
Toss together the spinach & apple. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat until just warmed.
Pour the dressing over the salad & sprinkle with bacon, cranberries & seeds.


Layered Pea Salad

*Sorry I forget to take a photo.

Layer the follow, in order:
lettuce
2 sticks chopped celery
1 chopped red pepper
1/2 red onion, chopped
a cup of cooked peas

Mix together 1 heaped cup mayo, 1 tsp sugar or substitute, 1 tsp vinegar. Pour over top of salad. Top with cooked bacon and grated mild cheese.
I then wrap it in cling film and leave it for at least 12 hrs for the flavours to mingle.

This last one is a good make-ahead dinner and the whole family loves it.