Sounds yummy. I have some really good honey at home, and I'll be sure to try this soon.

Thanks, Angie!

Anything w/olive oil...so good. I'm starting to pick up your lingo Angie... *yonks*...I love that one:)

Sounds good! Come on, tell us more about salad ingredients!

Ooh, sounds yummy! Thanks for posting that recipe.

I had to Brendan what rocket was. :D

Hmm it has never occurred to me to make a big batch of salad dressing for later use. I hope I am not the only one!

I'll try it. I am so tired of bottled salad dressings.

I don't know what rocket is. Angie or Ana to my rescue?

Rocket is a type of lettuce.
Here are some pics
Very popular in Aus in gourmet sandwiches (Don't much like it myself, I am afraid)
http://www.fotosearch.com/phot.....ttuce.html

Thanks, Anne.

Mmmm, I love dressings like this, like a vinaigrette with a touch of honey. I'm afraid I don't much care for mustard, but I'll definitely be trying this without!

Another nice option, for those who are interested, is basically the exact same thing, but sub in fresh squeezed lime juice for the balsamic. It's a touch more Asian in flavour, but essentially the same idea. I make it a lot in the summer!

Mmmm yumn, I am addicted to both balsamic vinegar and rocket!! Amazingly enough I have managed to keep some rocket alive for over a month now, so I've got a pretty constant supply right now!!

I made a similar salad dressing, but use brown sugar and wholegrain mustard instead of the honey and dijon. Still very yummy, so I'm sure this one tastes great tooo!!!

Ooooh, thanks! I get a lot of top-notch vinegars to do tasty oil-and-vinegars, but I am always on the hunt for a new way to mix them up. I like the honey and mustard addition to yours, will have to try it.

"Rocket" is what Americans call arugula. Spicy, nutty flavor with a bite -- people seem to love it or hate it. (LOVE.)

Sounds delicious Angie! I bring in a big head of lettuce to work every week and make my lunches at work with tuna, chicken etc. This will be perfect because I rarely like bottled dressing.

Yummy! I love anything that has balsamic vinegar in it. I'll try the honey in it.

I hate bottled dressing too - too many chemicals, too much sodium, and doesn't taste very good either.

Usually I just mix up balsamic (best quality I can find - better quality won't need any sweetening) with olive oil (best quality I can find), and keep it in a cruet. Sometimes I add dijon, sometimes I'll add garlic cloves, sometimes fresh basil from the garden.

But I don't put it in the fridge, because the olive oil will solidify. Also it just tastes better at room temperature! I've never had any problem leaving a cruet out on the counter for weeks on end. Of course our kitchen doesn't get a lot of direct sunlight, which can quickly spoil olive oil.

Honey: I mix honey, olive oil, and balsamic up and then nuke it to warm it up and pour over a salad I make with spinach, red onions, strawberries, and slivered almonds.

If you're looking for good olive oil, try the wine store!

Mmmm.... arugula!

Here's a favorite salad of mine (got the idea from a local restaurant):

Arugula
Avocado
Pistachios
Feta cheese
... with a simple dressing of lemon juice (lots!), a pinch of dijon, and olive oil.

Thanks Angie. We usually just use olive oil and sherry vinegar (or balsamic from time to time). Now I have an inspiration for something different.

Oh, thanks for the clarification about arugula, April. My husband said he hasn't seen any rocket here in the US, but I guess we have, we just didn't know it was called something else here. :)

Fab ideas! Here’s more:

o Get to know different lettuce leaves. Mix lots of different lettuces and herbs together – add fresh, dill, tarragon and coriander too (cilantro to you guys).

o Use water cress and spinach.

o Frisee (do you know that French lettuce?) It MAKES a green salad in my opinion. I like it mixed in because the dressing clings onto the shape of the leaves in the best way – explosion in your mouth.

o Use tiny roma tomatoes and slice them up. From Mexico and Israel are best. They are tastier and they don’t spread out all over the salad. I can’t bear that.

o Think out of the box and add ROASTED and salted pumpkin seeds, soy nuts and ROASTED pine nuts and almonds. Roasting them makes all the difference.

o Strawberries and peppadews are fab

o Edamame is another favouritre.

o Experiment with different types of avocado – some are nuttier than others.

o Think about your salt. At the moment I’m into adding coarse Peruvian Pink salt. Really adds flavor and texture.

o Cheese – where do I start!!!

Once you have these variations going, the possibilities are endless. And I haven’t begun to add roasted vegtables, protein and bread.

We will be getting our CSA produce box starting next week, and there is always an amazing assortment of lettuces and other veggies. I am so looking forward to it! They often throw in some unusual veggies perfect for salads, too. This year, we also signed up for a cheese share, so we'll be getting 2 kinds of fresh Wisconsin cheese every two weeks. YUM.

Adding salt to lettuce really heightens all the flavors. The first time I had it, I was amazed!

Peppadews! Never heard of them, but I looked them up. Angie, do you buy them in a can/jar or fresh? They're going on my list next to South African chutneys.

I'm loving all the salad ideas, keep them coming! My current favourite is mixed greens with roasted peppers, avocado, honey-glazed pecans that I make myself, a scattering of strong cheese (asiago works well) and a chipotle maple dressing from the ReBar cookbook (a must have for all vegetarians, I might add). This salad is based on the Painted Desert Salad in that cookbook.

Aha, the salad dressing we've all been waiting for;-) Thank you so much for posting this Angie! It sounds super yummy. I love mustard and honey, so I'll definitely be trying this.

Rocket (arugula) and lamb's lettuce are my two favourite types of salad. Spinach is lovely too, and I agree, frisée is great for it's 'dressing holding properties'.

I hadn't heard of peppadews either. I'm going to see if I can find them here.

Roasted seeds are always good, sometimes I throw in some raisins for a sweet touch too. And I love fresh fruit in a green salad (try halved grapes some time too, berries are very refreshing as well)!

Keep the ideas coming everyone. This is FUN!
And Angie, do tell us more about cheese pretty please. I haven't been very adventurous cheese-wise up till now, and I want to branch out;-)

I want this to be a very long thread, need more info on roasted vegetables and protein too;-)

P.S. I'm also intrigued by fiddlehead ferns, I see them popping up on blogs all around me, but I don't think we have this in Europe. (not sure if you can eat them raw though)

Our summer staples are usually salads. They tend to be green at the beginning of summer, and then go to hard vegetables (like fresh tomatoes, green beans, fresh runner beans) at the height of summer, and back to green at the end. It is too hot here in the summer to grow lettuces.

I grow lettuces and greens in my garden. I like to add baby chard and kale in with my arugula/rocket and other lettuces. I also love a nice goat cheese mixed in.

Angie - just wondering if you ever slather the olive oil on your face while making the dressing, for a little extra moisturizer!!!

Susan D

I usually do a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and mustard. I must try the honey and soy sauce additions; they sound yummy!

For lunch today, I had a salad of mixed baby greens, cantaloupe, strawberry, avocado, and chicken breast with the vinaigrette. Yum!

Is a peppadew the same thing as a kiwi? I do like kiwi in a salad or other fruit such as pineapple or orange sections or apples in Fall. The citrus is great with avocado.

Does anyone have a good dressing idea for a "taco" type salad? I usually just use a salsa but looking for sonthing more yummy.

This thread is making me hungry by the way!

Chris, try mixing salsa with ranch dressing or dip (I use fat-free sour cream mixed with the ranch dressing dry mix that come in a packet--one of my only processed food allowances). It's so tasty!

Mmm... I love roasted veggies in salads. Beets, eggplant, onion. Beets and hard-boiled eggs are a nice combo. Add a crisp, mellow lettuce and some creamy dressing.

Taco salad -- I love guacamole! You can also layer with yogurt, beans, tomatoes. Mixed together, I don't think it really needs a dressing, per se.