Goat Cheese, Apple and Walnut Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

After my mom and I had this at a restaurant I went on a quest to recreate it. The unique flavors all combined together made my tastebuds tingle. The only problem - the perfect dressing. Store-bought dressings were out - too sweet or simply did not match the flavors of the salad. Then I came across this one from Cooking Light. I had to alter slightly because the original recipe was way too tart, nay, it was downright harsh to the tastebuds. The key is to whisk in the olive oil. This allows the oil to emulsify with the other liquid ingredients. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator but note that extra virgin olive oil does solidify when chilled.

Some of you may turn up your nose to goat cheese. But these days there are lots of brands out there that cater to "tender tongues" as in the flavor is mild. The cheese is pricier than other kinds of cheese but a little does go a long way. Use either oven-toasted walnuts or candied ones. For a time saver, one of my favorite brands to have on hand are glazed walnuts from Emerald Nuts (see picture of product below). I keep a pouch in the pantry and just a few of these walnuts in each serving add a ton of flavor.

Salad:

Spring mix baby greens

Goat cheese, crumbled or roughly sliced

Braeburn apples, chopped

Walnuts
Red onions, chopped

Mustard Vinaigrette:

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp honey

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard and honey in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Whisk in remaining ingredients.

Spicy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Nothing is better in January than some piping hot, homemade soup. This is a favorite of mine, but maybe that's just because I like spicy. You may reduce the amount of jalapenos in it to meet personal or family preference. It comes together quickly and is perfectly healthy.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 large carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeno (canned or fresh)

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles

1 tsp Bon Appetit seasoning

3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

3 cups cooked long grain and wild rice mix

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir in onion, carrot and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and green chilies and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle with Bon Appetit seasoning and slowly stir in chicken broth. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and continue simmering until heated through.