"No-Waste" Salad & Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Anyone who knows me knows I can't stand wasting food. While some cooks relish in fancy ingredients, I find no greater pleasure than digging into the depths of my refrigerator, freezer and pantry, only to come up with new and delicious meals. This salad was no exception.

A single carrot and a handful of greens rattling around in the produce bin; a hardboiled egg pushed to the back of the shelf; a soft avocado, three sad-looking strawberries and a semi-limp cucumber. These random ingredients married together with a few pantry staples (and homemade vinaigrette to boot) resulted in one of the most fabulous salads I've ever had.

I challenge you to take a deep-dive into your own kitchen and see what fun combinations you come up with ... feel free to share below in the comments! 

INGREDIENTS ~ yields one personal sized salad (as shown in photo

• 2 cups of greens (I used thinly sliced Romaine, mixed spring greens and microgreens from the local farmers' market)
• 1 small Persian cucumber, chopped
• 1 carrot, shaved into strips using a vegetable peeler
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 3-4 strawberries, sliced
• 1 hardboiled egg, quartered
• 2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons pecans, toasted and chopped
• Salt & pepper

[VINAIGRETTE]

• 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt & pepper

METHOD

• Wash and prepare all veggies.
• Layer all ingredients for the salad in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• To make the vinaigrette, simply combine all of the ingredients in a small mason jar or bowl and shake/whisk until emulsified. 
• Pour desired amount over salad and mix. Leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator 2-3 weeks.