Salad

How exciting. Look my first salad from my garden. Yes gypsy fans I grew this beautiful feast. This one has micro greens, a mix of mesclun and a combination of fresh chives, basil and sage. Mesclun is a potpourri of young, small salad greens. Micro greens the newest and greatest food in gourmet restaurants. Tasty and very nutritious. Just a few of the many greens I planted this year.

I often choose a salad for lunch. When you are gluten, soy, dairy and egg free it is a good choice. I will often put avocado in as well. I could and often do eat one avocado a day. When this gypsy lived in California and Hawaii I had so many varieties of avocado. This salad doesn't have it but often times I will put quinoa in as well. Quinoa (KEEN-wah) - it contains more protein than any other grain. A complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids. I will do something in the future on grains. So many we can have in place of the ones we can't.

The salad is such a creative dish. I love to be creative with my food. I don't use many bottled dressings. Too many ingredients I don't like and now can't have. I choose Annie's Naturals the roasted red pepper vinaigrette when I buy one. Olive oil and vinegar works for me. So many choices of vinegar. Gluten free people have to read the labels and of course can not have malt vinegar because it is made from barley. Sometimes I use fresh lemon instead of vinegar. Lately I am stuck on white balsamic vinegar. If you haven't tried that one look for it. With all the farmers markets starting think of the possibilities for salads. To me it is better than going to a candy store!