Sweet & Sour Citrus Salad

What! The last time I blogged was March 2nd! Where did the time go... let me tell you.

I haven't spent much time in the kitchen coming up with new, tasty and exciting delectable dishes, because we've been doing some traveling about the west coast, flew to the east coast, and once home we were off again to Central Oregon to visit family.

While visiting Bristol and Newport, Rhode Island, I enjoyed some of their freshest and finest seafood I've ever tasted - lobster at DeWolf Tavern, the best ever fish & chips at Via Blue Ocean, and scallops at Scales and Shells (also at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle, Wa). Clam poppers were new to me. Crab cocktail and grilled oysters in Port Townsend and The 3 Crabs in Sequim, Wa.

Here's just a taste...


Since I've been back, I've been bogged down with the cares of life, getting ready for a garage sale and putting our house back on the market.... all this seems to have sucked away any drops of culinary inspiration these past few weeks.

I must say though that watching episodes of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is lighting sparks under my damp fire. And today, I mustered up enough enthusiasm to vote for my favorite dish in Oliver's Virtual Recipe Club- 20 Minute Meals/Cookbook Contest.

So, I'll begin again with a quick meal/side salad, something vegan, basic and sour, then sweeten it up to refresh and cleanse our palate!

I'm going to kick the blocks out from under my lethargy in the kitchen to kick-start an new wave of culinary enthusiasm, by sharing a healthy, zesty citrus salad with you!


Ingredients

1 large pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 large navel orange, peeled and sectioned
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large red pepper, julienned
1 small red onion, sliced and separated into rings
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, or to taste
2 teaspoons grated onion
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 cups torn salad greens
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the citrus sections and sprinkle with the sugar.
2. Add the red pepper, red onion and toss lightly.
3. In a blender, combine the honey, vinegar, poppy seeds, grated onion, lemon juice, salt, mustard and lemon peel. Cover and process until blended.
4. Pour over fruit mixture and toss to coat.
5. In a large serving bowl, toss the salad greens, mushrooms and fruit mixture.
6. Option - top with some slivered almonds or tasty candied pecans!
   

Yields 6 servings