Thursday, February 5, 2009

A Witch's Kitchen: Salads


A Kitchen Witch can never have too many spices, herbs and recipes for all sorts of dishes! No matter what I am cooking I am aware of the properties from the herbs, oils and others items I use. Every dish I cook is blessed and thanked and of course has a little magical quality to it, not to mention an overall quality for health as well.

Previously I posted a blog titled A Witch's Magical Kitchen. In the post I named and described several common herbs that should be in your kitchen for food and magical use.

Here are a few of my favorite and simple Salad recipes, but please note I did mention the brand names for the items used. All ingredients are non GMO'd (genetically modified or engineered) and/or certified organic to maintain my current state of health becasue of severe sensitivities. All ingredients were either purchased at the Whole Foods Market or grown fresh from our organic garden. The next Witch's Kitchen blog will pertain to side dishes or main courses.

Baby Spinach & Basil Italian Salad
1 large bag of Baby Spinach or approx. or 12-16oz. fresh from garden
1 - 4oz. package of Sweet Basil or 4-5 sprigs from garden
2 dozen green olives sliced in thin strips
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped ultra fine (more or less to taste)
1 medium onion diced
2-3 banana peppers de-seeded and cut into rings
Tare basil into pieces and toss above ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside while you make the fresh dressing.

Salad Dressing:
¼ cup of Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
In a 1 cup measuring cup, measure oil and add remaining
ingredients for the dressing. Stir with a whisk till mixed and pour
over salad. Toss salad ensuring all parts are covered with dressing.
**Serve immediately, does not store or refrigerate well after dressing
has been added.

Cesar Pasta Salad
(my daughters favorite)
1, 12 - 16 oz. bag of naturally colored pasta
1 - Organic Cesar Salad Dressing (whole Foods Brand)
8 oz. Organic Feta Cheese (crumbled)
8 oz. Organic Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
1/4 pound Wellshire Farms Pepperoni (diced)
Cook pasta according to directions on back of package. Rinse with cool water when pasta is tender. Add dressing stir until covered well. Add remaining ingredients and serve. For added flavor refrigerate over night.

Easy Pasta Salad
1 – 12 to 16oz. bag of Organic Pasta (preferably natural colored swirls)
1 – Jar of Certified Organic store bought Italian Dressing (oil & vinegar w/herbs)
1 – Green Bell Pepper (de-seeded and diced)
1 – Red Bell Pepper (de-seeded and diced)
½ pound of Wellshire Farms Muenster cheese chunked into bite size pieces
¼ pound of Wellshire Farms Nitrate free Pepperoni chunked like the cheese
Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl with a sealed lid. Best flavor is achieved when pasta sets overnight in the fridge. **This is an easy recipe and convenient for hauling to those summer time family gatherings.

These recipes and my other blessings & rituals would be a great addition to your Book of Shadows!

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