Pan-toasted pumkins seeds a hit

The Publican House Brew Pub is located in an heritage home in Peterborough, Ontario. My wife, Judy, loves dining outside. It was lunch, the brew house was handy and it had a large porch open for dining. I knew nothing about the place but a porch, serving as a patio, made it worth a look.

We kept it simple. We both had the beet and arugula salad and shared a Marge pizza of tomato, cheese and basil. All was very good. I also had a pint of the Pub House Ale from the brewery immediately next door. The beer was another good choice. We gave the place full grades as a spot to stop for a quick bite and a draught.

When we got home, I decided to serve a salad inspired by the brew pub's. I headed for our local Remark store. I got a bag of spring greens (for the colour), a bag of arugula, some dried cranberries, shelled pumpkin seeds, a pint of strawberries, a bottle of pickled, whole beets and some still-in-the-pot pea sprouts. At home, I had a large block of Parmesan plus a bottle of blackcurrant and raspberry salad dressing.

The brew pub's salad was arguably better. Their presentation was perfect. And I really liked their dressing, which I assume was made in the brew pub kitchen. That said, my salad was wonderful. Why? I  pan-toasted the pumpkin seeds. The pan-toasting game the seeds a strong hit of a surprising, and very yummy, flavour.

The ingredients are listed above. The proportions to use are up to you. I'd advise being generous with the pan-toasted pumpkin seeds and shaved Parmesan. My wife and I both prefer the pickled beets cut into large chunks. We find larger pieces deliver more flavour. The strawberry is actually optional. There was no strawberry in the brew pub salad. And the choice of salad dressing is also up to you. My only advice here is do not use too much dressing. Let the salad itself shine. Never drown a salad in dressing. The brew pub didn't and that was one reason its salad was so good.
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I've had a complaint or two about not going into greater detail as to how to assemble this salad. I didn't think it necessary but obviously it is. This post is meant to inspire. Good salads are not simply iceberg lettuce and Kraft dressing. Have some fun. Buy some interesting greens. Add nuts or fruit. Toast the nuts now and then in a hot fry pan for a slightly different flavour. If you're lazy, at the very least don't always buy Kraft dressing. There are lots of interesting dressings made by small, local food businesses. Read the labels and look for excellent ingredients. You won't go far wrong.

Have fun! And in short order you will be making stuff that makes you smile. Now, go for  it! (p.s. I'm taking my own advice. I bought some shelled Brazil nuts at Costco today: A fine addition to an imaginative salad.)