We make our own salad dressing in the bottom of the salad bowl. Each time it's a little different. Since we stay away from dairy products, we use raw sesame tahini for a creamy texture. Then we add oil, vinegar, and something salty. The salty item could be tamari, miso or unmeboshi plum paste or sea salt.

Spices are always nice. We use whatever we feel like that day. Sometimes it's basil, oregano, or fennel from the little herb garden in our front yard. Or we might use dried herbs.

Then, for a little tang, we add spicy mustard or fresh garlic or both. If we feel like a smoky flavor, we use a drop or two of toasted sesame oil. We put the greens on top and don't toss it all together until just before we eat it. Even the kids get into the act.