Everyone should enjoy a good salad at least 3 times a week. Depending on how you make it, it will provide much needed enzymes, minerals, vitamins and omega 3s, 6s and 9s, essential fatty acids that is and all of the other nutrients necessary to keep you moving through life. There was a time when I didn't eat salad, it wasn't a part of my West Indian heritage. Our thing was soup, fish, chicken... mostly seafood, but never salad. I didn't eat my first salad until I was in 8th grade, so once I discovered that they can actually taste good I was on a role from then on.

My favorite salads could stand alone as meals depending on quantity not the content. The content is there. You've got your fats, your proteins and your carbohydrates, etc., etc., etc. transforming a regular salad into a serious meal. That's why I came up with today's salad. Fresh herbs, macadamia nuts, grape tomatoes, paper thinly sliced, pickled red onions, the works, will grace your plate.

Here's what we did for our fresh herb and macadamia nut salad.

EQUIPMENT
1 strainer
1 large mixing bowl
salad tongs [salad server]

DRESSING INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp omega 3 oils
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar [raw]
1 tbsp mustard [organic Dijon is nice or whichever one you like best]
1 tbsp organic ketchup
1 clove crushed minced garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp capers

SALAD INGREDIENTS
2 bunches of arugula
1 bunch dill weed
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup Italian [flat leaf] parsley
1 bunch red leaf lettuce
1 cup macadamia nuts [raw]
1 cup dried cranberries [organic]
2 cups grape tomatoes [1 cup of them halved lengthwise]

Step 1. Whip your dressing ingredients together in a blender or with a whisk in a bowl, adding your capers after you've whipped your ingredients together, stir in [you want them to stay whole for a great presentation] and refrigerate until you're ready to plate and serve your salad.

Step 2. Wash, drain and dry all of your produce [arugula, dill weed, cilantro, parsley, lettuce and tomatoes]

Step 3. Cut down your cilantro, parsley and dill weed into 1 - 2 inch pieces and halve your tomatoes, reserving your lettuce to the side for plating.

Step 4. In a large mixing bowl, mix all of your salad ingredients together expect for your lettuce.

Step 5. Plate your salad by fanning your lettuce in a circular pattern around your salad plate with your stems pointing towards the center of your dish. In the middle of your dish plate your mixed greens in a mound covering up your stems.

[When you're ready to plate and serve your salad, you can either toss the salad with the dressing make sure you give it a good shake to distribute the flavors evenly before adding to your salad or plate the salad first, then add the dressing to it.]

You're ready to go!!!

As always, it's been my pleasure sharing these vegetarian recipes with you. Until next time...