roasted beet and goat cheese salad

Ingredients

For the dressing:
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

mixed baby greens
4 cooked red beets
1 carrot, peeled and very thinly diced 
1/2 of small red onion, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons salted shelled pistachios (not dyed red)
4 oz soft goat cheese

Instructions

1. Make the dressing: Whisk together the first 5 ingredients. I like to use my Cuisinart SmartStick chopper attachment to make this dressing.
2. Mix all of the salad ingredients together (except the cheese). Slowly incorporate the dressing- you will likely not need it all. Top with crumbed goat cheese.

easy weekday salad

Ingredients

Dressing:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. whole grain mustard
1/8 tsp Kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Salad Fixings:
Lettuce: Boston lettuce or mixed baby greens work well
1 carrot, shaved using a vegetable peeler
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced or grate using the largest setting on a box grater
1/4 cup soft cheese, goat or blue work well
1/4 cup nuts, walnuts or almonds work well
anything else in your fridge you need to get rid of! (we've tried corn, blanched green beans, green onions, and beets before- yum!)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the olive oil and the vinegar. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper and whisk vigorously until emulsified.
2. Add the carrot, onion, nuts, etc. and combine with dressing. At the last minute, mix the greens in.

apple, goat cheese, and honey tartlets

Ingredients

2 packages frozen puff pastry (4 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend

6 ounces soft goat cheese (about 3/4 cup packed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3 medium Gala apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup honey (preferably dark), divided
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground allspice

Instructions

1 Day Before- Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before continuing.
1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Roll out each puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square.
3. Using 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 16 rounds total. Divide 8 pastry rounds between prepared baking sheets; pierce rounds all over with fork. Using 3 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from center of remaining 8 rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use), forming eight 5-inch-diameter rings.
4. Brush outer 1-inch edges of 5-inch rounds on baking sheets with beaten egg; top each with 1 pastry ring. Freeze at least 30 minutes.

Day Of

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix cheese, lemon juice, and salt in bowl; spread mixture inside rings on frozen pastry rounds. 3. 3. Overlap apple slices atop cheese.
4. Mix butter and 1/4 cup honey in small bowl; brush over apples. Sprinkle with allspice.
5. Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden, about 35 minutes.
6. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each and serve warm or at room temperature.

*From Epicurious.com

eggplant and goat cheese sandwiches

Ingredients

8 (1/2 inch-thick) eggplant slices
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large red bell pepper
4 slices ciabatta bread
2 tbsp. pesto
1 cup baby arugula
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup goat cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides of eggplant with 1 tsp. olive oil. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Arrange bell pepper halves, skin sides up, on baking sheet with eggplant; flatten with hand.
2. Broil 4 minutes; turn eggplant over (do not turn bell pepper over). Broil an additional 4 minutes; remove eggplant from pan. Broil pepper an additional 7 minutes or until blackened.
3. Place bell pepper in a plastic bag; seal. Let stand for 15 minutes; peel and discard skin.
4. Broil bread slices for 2 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once.
5. Spread 1 tbsp. pesto on each of 2 bread slices. Layer each bread slice, pesto side up, with 2 eggplant slices, 1 bell pepper, and 2 eggplant slices.
6. Toss arugula with remaining 1 tsp. oil and black pepper; divide arugula mixture evenly between sandwiches. Spread 2 tbsp. goat cheese over each of 2 remaining bread slices; place cheese side down, on sandwiches.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

green apple and goat cheese salad

Ingredients

baby spinach leaves
1 Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup goat cheese

For the vinegarette:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cider-vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Core the apple and slice into matchsticks.
3. Toast the walnuts.
4. Assemble and enjoy!

strawberries and goat cheese salad

Ingredients

For the salad:
Organic salad greens, baby spinach recommended
2 1/2 cups sliced organic strawberries
1/3 cup fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

For the vinegarette:
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. To make the vinegarette: whisk brown sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl.
2. Assemble salad.