I’m getting ready to go on holiday in a few weeks so I’ve been eating a lot of fresh greens and raw veggies to shed this extra layer of warmth that somehow glommed onto me this winter.

I’ve been topping my salads with freshly squeezed lemon, but sometimes your mouth craves a little more excitement.

This vinaigrette is deliciously easy, versatile and light enough for tiny baby greens… but it goes perfectly with romaine, iceberg and spinach salads. Another idea: I pour this vinaigrette over all kinds of vegetables before I roast them in the oven. I’ve even used it instead of mayonnaise in chicken salads! Here’s how to make the  best vinaigrette ever… an easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket!

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Presenting! The Fabulous Kalettes!

No, it’s not a girl group from the ’60s. This is what happens when kale and Brussels sprouts hook up: a non-genetically modified vegetable that’s full of fiber, vitamin C, K and B6.

And, oh, are they delicious, with a slightly sweet and surprising nutty flavor.

Kalettes are also gorgeous. They have crunchy, deep purple stems with soft bright green leaves. I discovered them in a farmers’ market this summer, but since then I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Melissa’s Produce also carries them, but they call them Kale Sprouts (cute!).

Kalettes are great raw in a salad (chop them up a little first), but I also like them grilled, steamed, sautéed or roasted. If you do cook them, watch them carefully so you don’t burn their tiny, delicate leaves.

Besides trimming the ends, and rinsing them in cool water (of course), Kalettes don’t take much prep. This Warm Kalette Salad is fast and simple to make and, with the fresh feta cheese and pomegranate, makes a gorgeous side dish!

They may not be a girl group… but Kalettes ROCK! (Sorry…)

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I forgot how deliciously rewarding it is to prepare and eat a Chef’s Salad.   You get your protein. You get your cheese. You get your veggies. You get your crunchy little croutons. You get a healthy, easy-to-make meal that is tied together with a bouncy light vinaigrette.

Traditionally a Chef’s Salad is made with smoked ox tongue, fresh roasted ham and chicken or turkey cut off the bone and carefully sliced “julienne” style. I’m fine with the ham and chicken or turkey, but the smoked ox tongue is definitely NOT happening in my salad bowl. You go right ahead, and thank you very much.

But what do you do if you don’t have a roasted ham or chicken or turkey hanging out in your refrigerator? You follow my recipe for Super Easy Chef’s Salad. Buy the meat and cheese at the supermarket deli and ask (nicely) for them to cut into ¼-inch thick slices.

You’ll still need to cut the meat and cheese into strips, aka julienne, but that doesn’t take much time. Just stack the slices and cut them all at once. Boiled eggs are easy (and you may already have some in your fridge).

You can use romaine lettuce, but I like to mix it up with iceberg and whatever other leaf lettuce looks good. In this recipe, I used only cucumbers and tomatoes, but you can add whatever veggies you like because, after all, this is a CHEF’S Salad… and you’re the CHEF!

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Are you making a pumpkin pie from scratch this Thanksgiving? Don’t throw out the best part!

I’m talking about the seeds, of course!

After you wash and cut open the pumpkin, scoop out the pulp and seeds. Place them in a big bowl and then call one of the little kids into the kitchen. Tell them their job is to remove the seeds from the “slime” (use that word, they’ll think it’s cool). Have your helper drop the seeds into a separate bowl.

After the seeds and pulp have been separated, rinse the seeds in a colander and then lay them out on paper towels to air dry. Put them in a re-sealable plastic bag until you’re ready to use them (they’ll hold for about a week).

There are so many ways to roast pumpkin seeds. Here’s my recipe for how to make Candied Pumpkin Seeds, which are great to snack on, top a salad or sprinkle in your oatmeal. They also make sweet little hostess gifts!

I made these very Spice Island spicy, not hot spicy. Click here to read more and to get the recipe!