Avocado and Salmon Salad

The sun is shining brightly in Austin and it's been steadily warming up too.   I'm in such a spring type of mood, both in the house as in spring cleaning AND in the kitchen as in making lighter dishes.   I've been wanting to do something fun with avocado's and this experiment turned out delish!   Toasted pine nuts add crunch and texture to the creamy avocado with salmon and the basil, scallions, zest of lemon and orange.   This would be a great salad to use at an outdoor luncheon, Bridal Shower or any springy celebration.

Avocado and Salmon Salad

Ingredients:

• Ripe Avocados
• 4 - 6 oz cooked salmon (smoked if you prefer)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 T fresh basil, julienned
• juice of a fresh lemon
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh lemon and orange zest
• mixed greens
• pine nuts, toasted

Directions:   In a small saute pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts.  

In a medium bowl, combine the cooked salmon with the scallions, mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and zest and mix well, breaking the salmon up into bite sized pieces.

Just before serving, cut the avocado's in half, remove the seed and remove from the skin, keeping the half in tact.   To plate, start with a bed of mixed greens, then the avocado, topped with the salmon mixture and garnished with toasted pine nuts and zest.   Serve immediately!

Scrumptious Summer Salad with Strawberries

I love to add fruit to my salads - it adds a level of sweetness, texture and depth to the standard salad we eat every day.   I made this salad tonight for dinner with a red wine vinegar and Major Gray Chutney vinaigrette.   I could NOT stop eating it... enjoy!

Summer Salad with Strawberries

Ingredients:

• Bib lettuce, washed and dried and torn into bite sized pieces
• Baby Spinach, washed and dried
• 8 Strawberries, washed and sliced thin
• 1 Avocado, diced
• 1/3 C Walnut pieces
• Parmesan shavings
• Pepper

Directions:   After washing and drying lettuce, tear it up into bite sized pieces and add to salad bowl.   Slice strawberries and avocado and add to bowl.   I like my walnuts in smaller pieces so I rough chop them and add to the bowl.   Add Parmesan shavings and pepper to taste.

Vinaigrette:

• 1/3 C red wine vinegar
• 4 T Major Grays Chutney
• 3 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk your ingredients together and toss into your salad and serve!!!