Nirvana Asparagus & Strawberry Salad

Yesterday was fruit and veggie nirvana. I felt inspired, light, and maybe a little light headed but nonetheless content. I love the energy I get from vegetables, the spikes of happy juice from fruits. Talk about getting down to earth!

I bought many vegetables to roast and rummage through throughout the day which eventually brought me to dinner. I couldn’t decide if I was craving something savory or sweet. So I got a little selfish and satisfied both!

After examining the fresh local spread in my refrigerator I plucked the plump local strawberries and ostentatiously green asparagus from the crisper and set to work. What followed was so tempting it felt sinful and heavenly at the same time. Roasted asparagus sprinkled with herbs and roasted to fork tender perfection. Ripe ruby red strawberries sliced thin, waiting to be married with its merry partner. Ah my mouth begins to pool with drool just remembering the burst of flavor that flooded on first bite. A dish that would sate any palette at any time of the day. Have I teased you enough?

Well if that is not enough to convince you, it took only 15 minutes to make and mate the two contenders and quite less to devour. A perfect spring simplicity that dotes on every taste bud.

Roasted Asparagus and Strawberry Salad
This salad was easy to throw together and tastes like you spent a pretty penny. As long as you use equal parts of both ingredients you can make it as large as you want. This recipe below was overly filling for one and would make a great side dish for two!

Ingredients
• 1 bunch asparagus spears, bottoms trimmed
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Mr. dash garlic and herb (no sodium) seasoning
• Strawberries, sliced thin

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse your asparagus and trim the bottoms. Toss in the olive oil and seasoning to coat. Lay flat on a baking sheet. Roast for 10-12 minutes, tossing once.

Slice strawberries, and chop roasted asparagus. Eat a couple right off the baking sheet while your husband looks away...then toss together and enjoy!!

Still craving ASPARAGUS recipes? Check out Carole's featured asparagus recipes on her blog this week!
Carole's Food on Fridays

Indie's Insalata

I only got pictures before the dressing and seasoning as I prepped early!

Summer has unofficially ended my dear readers and to be quite honest, I am thrilled! I do love the summer days and nights, lounging by the pool with a margarita in hand but nothing is better in my book than cool breezes, the drifting smells of a chiminea, the constant background noise of football, and a glass of pinot noir on a patio. AH, I feel my skin and bones relaxing from the past three months of scorching heat just writing that.


Labor Day weekend is always jam packed and bursting to the brim with family fun affairs. We fit in as much as possible which usually leaves me pretty run down by the end. Hence the short post and sheer lack of writing creativity in today which I do apologize.

A bit of recap event that I must share because it involved the food highlight of my weekend was Saturday night’s family rendezvous over pizza and football. My alma mater TU played OU and we had my husband’s side of the family over to my in-laws to take in the game. The menu? Pizza, a fare that used to make me faint because I may be limited to my options. But no fear my dear, since Tulsa now has a few pizzerias offering kind pizza to gluten free tummies, I was able to stuff myself not just with new family on-goings but also a delicious homemade Italian style salad and a few slices of pie. Pizza pie that is of course! We ordered out from Hideaway pizza who most recently adopted gluten free pizza options on their menu! I won’t have to shy away from Hideaway anymore! Honestly now, who can resist their enormous choices of toppings and combinations?!

My mother in law asked me to make a salad for the meal and I decided it was only fitting to make it Italian. Pizza…Italian salad…see the dotted line connection….It was scrumptious and received many compliments from the fam! I didn’t mind shoving pizza into my mouth eating an extra piece of pizza since I had my fill of greens on the side.

Alas, my college team didn’t win. However, this salad is most certainly a winner and will be repeated! Add any protein and you could easily make a meal out it. The following recipe was made to satisfy a crowd so it is quite large, but you could always half it if you aren’t entertaining a country like I was on Saturday!

Indie’s Insalata

• 2 heads romaine, cleaned and chopped

• 1 can artichokes, drained and rinsed

• 1 can sliced pepperoncinis, drained and rinsed

• 1 package of fresh cherry tomatoes

• 4 tbs Italian seasoning

• ½ cup sliced black olives (optional)

• Italian dressing, store bought or use the homemade one below!

Toss first 5 ingredients together in a large salad bowl. Add dressing right before serving.


Italian Dressing
adpated slightly from All Recipes

• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1-2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cloves fresh garlic

Place all ingredients into a blender, vitamix, or food processor and blend until smooth!