What is the reasoning behind the title? Well… I have a confession. I do not really like salads. I eat them, something about “vitamins” and “fiber” and “good for you” or “only thing on the restaurant menu I can eat with adjustment”. I will note, the last reason has disappeared since moving to Seattle, but I digress. I have enjoyed individual salads, the Pearl Street Bar and Grill in Buffalo had one that was very good and, if you request no cheese, vegan about a year ago. My friends Jess and Alex made a spinach apple salad during our senior year of college, back when we used to do Monday night potlucks. [/nostalgia] My mother and mother in law have made pasta salads and veggie salads that were good. But otherwise… they do not thrill me.

Oddly, today I was having a craving for a salad. One of my resolutions is to “eat more raw food”. Figuring that it is infrequent that one gets cravings to do their New Year’s Resolutions… might as well go with it. Tossed this together based on what we had. It was *really* good. So here you go. All measurements are approximate.

Berry Arugula Salad

1/2 Bag of Trader Joe’s Wild Arugula
1 onion, quartered and sliced
3 carrots, sliced finely
1 cup frozen berries, thawed (add the juice too – it gives flavor to the dressing!)
2 handfuls cashews (I used “raw” ones)
1/4 cup flaxseeds
pinch salt
Balsamic vinegar to taste (I think I used 2ish tablespoons)
Really good extra virgin olive oil, to taste (I think I used fourish tablespoons)

Toss together.

Serves 2. Or one person eating two bowls of it. It was excellent. I think the key is the arugula/berry combination. Pepper and sweetness really added a great contrast.