My favorite Monstar Salad!

I created the Monstar Salad the same day I organized my spice rack, as a celebratory meal for a successful reorganization. This was no easy feat, I keep everything on my spice shelf: mixed spices, spices, specialty spices, nuts, grains, seeds, dried fruits, oils, vinegars, maple syrup and honey. I had so many random spices in plastic bags that the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar teamed up with pure maple syrup to build a protection wall for my roommates' stuff on the other side of the shelf. When every spice was finally in it's perfect place, BallSam and Olive Oil were joined with honey again, and they all had a big (tidy) party... yay!!!! (close book.)

Here's what I came up with and am guilty of having way too often.




salad dressing:
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp dijon
2 tsp honey
big pinch pepper
big pinch smoked paprika
pinches of dried chives
whisk..
.. or something along those lines. I will try it again tomorrow after I get more balsamic, I never really measured it before! :P so good luck until I tweak it. I love a good zip to a dressing, especially for this one, so make sure it's plenty zippy.

big bowl o' mixed spring greens, bite sized!
1 cup clean bean sprouts
1 chopped green onion
1/2 cup grape/cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 big mushrooms, julienned
2 tbsp dried golden raisins
2 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped smoked almonds
3 finely diced dried apricots
1 finely diced banana

Arrange pyramid style in mega super sized not fit for one bowl. admire. mix well. eat entire thing and consider it dessert too. mmm.... Mon.. star!!