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This salad feeds the senses of smell and sight, as well as delights the taste buds.   This salad provides the body with important vitamins, minerals, fiber, nutrition, tissue support.  Disease prevention at it's best. Eat this salad at least 5 times a week. 

1/4 cup flaxseed oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove crushed garlic

8 Greek or Italian olives, or 4 of each, pitted and sliced, (ferrous sulfate free olives)

3 fresh green onions, chopped

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sweet basil

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 tablespoon thyme

2 sweet peppers, one yellow, one red, thinly sliced

3 tomatoes. sliced

2 heads of dark green leafy lettuce, (choose two different kinds that are in season in your area) washed and broken into bite-sized pieces

sea salt to taste

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped chives

1.  Pour the oils into a wooden bowl, and spread the oils onto the sides and bottom of the bowl. 

2.  Add the garlic, lives and green onions.  Use a wooden spoon to gently spread them over the whole bowl.  Repeat this process with half of the balsamic vinegar, sweet basil, rosemary, and thyme.  Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

3.  Stir in the peppers, tomatoes, and carrots.  Add the lettuce, toss, and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. 

4.  Add the remaining basil, rosemary, and thyme:  some sea salt to taste and the parsley,  Toss well. Add more balsamic vinegar if desired.  

5.  Sprinkle the top with chives.   

Yield:  6 to 8 servings 

Organic produce is what heals....... 

This great recipe comes from the book, Healing Tonics, 101 Herbal Concoctions.  It is a great book! 

http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Tonics-Concoctions-Increase-Digestion/dp/1580172407

Among the world's oldest known foods, figs were used to sweeten dishes long before sugarcane was widely cultivated. Figs ripen during mid- to late summer, with some varieties lingering for a second harvest in early fall. Their skin can be purple, green, yellow, brown or white, and their flesh ranges from pale gold to deep, rich red. Fresh, ripe figs are best eaten out of hand but are also excellent served with cheese, grilled to accompany cured meats or savory salads, and paired with creamy desserts.

Figs are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Vitamin C and the B group vitamins are also present in small quantities. They are also high in fibre. Figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. A 40 gram (1/4 cup) serving provides 244 mg of potassium (7% of the DV), 53 mg of calcium (6% of the DV) and 1.2 mg of iron (6% of 

Preparing
Rinse fresh figs under cold running water and gently pat dry before serving. Overhandling will bruise the delicate fruit. The peel is edible and, unless specified in a recipe, can be left on the fruit. Use a sharp paring knife to cut figs in half lengthwise.

Remember buy organic and support your local farmers.. 

Fig Butter

http://oursimplelife-sc.com/2011/08/03/fig-butter-recipe/

How to use figs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlLcuzdnDuU

How to get your figs to ripen faster on your fig tree: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJckql2bOWc&feature=related

How to dry figs for fruit leather:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY4IzbUEch0

More information on drying figs:

http://www.wikihow.com/Dry-Figs

Fig Salad:

RECIPE:
Serves 1

large handful of fresh lettuce leaves
3 fresh figs, sliced in quarters
1 oz. walnut halves, toasted dry in a pan
sprinkling of blue cheese
2 tbsp. homemade balsamic dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
2 1/2 tbsp mustard
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 tsp agave / honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Put all the ingredients,  except the oil in a blender. With the machine running, drizzle in oil. Vinaigrette will emulsify.
Taste for additional seasoning if required.

Fig Salad:

Fig Salad w/ Arugula,  and Walnuts:

2 heads of fresh arugula, washed and dried 
4 fresh figs, quartered (yum)
1/4 cup of walnuts, toasted lightly (watch that they don't burn)


Dressing:
2 tbsp of fig vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of tarragon mustard
6 tbsp of good extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of walnut oil (optional)

Plate your arugula on a large platter and top w/ quartered figs.
Sprinkle walnuts and  all over salad.
Keep cool until ready to serve.
Just before serving, spoon dressing over salad.