First I washed a package of organic baby spinach and dried the leaves. This is best to do in a salad spinner. Unfortunately, I can’t find mine since my move – instead, I drip-dried the leaves in a colander and then patted them dry with paper towels. I made the salad dressing a day in advance. I thought it was delicious when I first made it; however, the second day the tart flavor started taking over. Therefore, if you aren’t going to use it right away, add less of the lemon and apple cider vinegar mixture.

Fresh Apple and Pear Dressing:

From: Vitamix – Create – Professional Series 750 Blender – Page 98

   1 ripe apple, cored, shopped

   1 ripe pear, cored, chopped

   1/2 cup granulated sugar

   2/3 cup water

   1 teaspoon fresh tarragon leaves (We used our beautiful farm fresh tarragon from the VA Green Grocer)

   4 Tablespoons cider vinegar, divided use

   3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided use

1. Place fruit, sugar, water and tarragon in a medium saucepan and simmer, covered, over medium heat until very soft, about 4 to 6 minutes depending on ripeness of fruit.

2. Let water evaporate. There should be about 1 3/4 cups fruit and liquid when finished cooking. Allow the mixture to cool.

3. Pour fruit mixture into the Vitamix container and secure lid.

4. Select Variable 1.

5. Switch machine to Start and slowly increase speed to Variable 10.

6. Blend for 20 seconds or until smooth.

7. Remove mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in half of the cider vinegar and lemon juice. Taste; dressing should be a pleasant blend of sweet tart. If desired, add remaining cider vinegar and lemon juice.

The kids went crazy for this one.

We purchased this King Salmon Skinless-Boneless Portion from VitalChoice.com. The website lists this fish as +55 OM3/6 Balance Score – one of the highest/best omega content fish on their website. They state “A food’s Omega Balance Score reveals its estimated impact on the relative proportions of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in your cells. The omega balance of your overall diet directly determines the corresponding omega balance in your body, which affects basic health.” The website has a link to learn more about Omega Balance Scores.

We followed the serving instructions they list on their website. We took the fish out of the package and defrosted it in the refrigerator the night before cooking (since it arrives at your house frozen and you store it in the freezer).

Serving instructions from the Vital Choice website:

– Before cooking rinse fish quickly in cold, clean water.

-Add the seasonings of your choice to a little olive oil and marinate the fish, refrigerated, for 30-60 minutes or overnight. (We brushed the fish with olive oil then sprinkled it with salt and pepper.)

-Cook on the grill for 7-8 minutes, until only the very center is still translucent. (We put the fish on tin foil and then on the grill. We also kept the grill lid down and cooked the fish for 9 minutes.)

-Remove fish from heat and let it “self-cook” another two to three minutes, until just cooked through to center before serving.