Let's talk about Salad

[leiadowns]

Looking for inspiration.  What's in your salad?

[Munkers]

Not necessarily all at once, but my salads usually have several of the following:

 

Leftover roast sweet potato (cold), cold roasted beets, hardboiled eggs, olives (whole or olive tapenade), leftover protein (chicken, beef, salmon cakes), balsamic vinegar, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, a few nuts or seeds, grapes, apple slices, raw shredded zucchini, field greens, spinach

 

Cucumbers would be another popular addition, but I'm just not fond of them.

 

I also do non lettuce-based salads like this sweet and salty broccoli salad. You could also try it with either part or all of the broccoli being replaced by cauliflower.

[ladyshanny]

I try to do my salads as a kind of formula.  This ensures maximum flavour, texture and nutrition.

 

Greens + 1-2 proteins + fruit/berries + nuts/seeds + raw veggies (cuke, tomato, snow peas etc) + cooked veggie(s) (preferably includes a starchie) + additional fat or creamy dressing.  I am usually stuffed when I'm done this.  

 

My favourite addition to all my salads is dill pickles.

[GFChris]

Recently I took a red cabbage, some chopped granny smith apple, and grated carrots and mixed in a batch of sunshine sauce. DELISH! Basically tasted like an Asian cole slaw.

If it's just you, I would use half a red cabbage and half a batch of sunshine sauce (unless you want cole slaw for days ...) 

[kruddock]

Homemade kale salad (like from costco): kale (one thing I got plenty of from my garden!), green cabbage, red cabbage, broccoli slaw, Brussel sprouts, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries (homemade), poppyseed dressing made with orange juice & olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, shallots, spices, poppy seeds.

I forgot to add, I usually eat this with a good-sized chicken breast for my protein.

[SpinSpin]

I use a mix of greens -- romaine, the kale salad mix that kruddock mentioned, the power green mix from Costco (kale, spinach and chard), baby greens, spinach.... I basically look in the fridge and toss in what ever veggies I have available -- broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, cucumber, roasted veggies, snap or sugar peas, green onions, celery, mushrooms... I usually toss the greens with a spoonful of olive oil -- not enough to drown them, just to give them a bit of a sheen, and then top with egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad. 

 

If I do an asian inspired salad, I do shredded romaine, chicken, cabbage or broccoli slaw, sunshine sauce or a compliant riff on Applebee's oriental chicken salad dressing -- mayo, applesauce, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, some apple cider vinegar (raw). I toss in carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumber. 

 

Taco salads are a big favorite - top chopped romaine and sometimes cabbage with taco meat, tomatoes, avocado, olives, green onions, bell peppers...what ever you like on a taco. Salad topped with steak or grilled chicken is wonderful too!

[ladyshanny]

 

If I do an asian inspired salad, I do shredded romaine, chicken, cabbage or broccoli slaw, sunshine sauce or a compliant riff on Applebee's oriental chicken salad dressing -- mayo, applesauce, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, some apple cider vinegar (raw). I toss in carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumber. 

 

 

This sounds so good!!!!!!  Do you have measurements or you just dump and mix?

[SpinSpin]

This sounds so good!!!!!!  Do you have measurements or you just dump and mix?

 

I just dump and mix! We have 4 oz tea cups that match our dishes and one of those is usually what I use for mixing my dressings in. For the Applebees-esque one I usually start out with a few good spoonfuls of mayo, add in a spoonful of unsweetened applesauce, and the rest to taste. I usually use the apple cider vinegar to balance the sweet/salty/sour and to thin out the dressing. It is soooo good!!! The veggies-- I just get out my biggest pyrex bowl and dump them all in! lol

[ladyshanny]

I just dump and mix! We have 4 oz tea cups that match our dishes and one of those is usually what I use for mixing my dressings in. For the Applebees-esque one I usually start out with a few good spoonfuls of mayo, add in a spoonful of unsweetened applesauce, and the rest to taste. I usually use the apple cider vinegar to balance the sweet/salty/sour and to thin out the dressing. It is soooo good!!! 

I have to try this, stat!  

[SpinSpin]

I have to try this, stat!  

I also sometimes add ginger to the dressing too, and occasionally a touch of orange juice as a change up. I have also been known to add a few clementine segments to the salad when they are in season and a sprinkle of toasted slivered almonds. 

[fmr_sailor]

I used to be disgusted by fruit on my salad, but since Whole30 I've grown to enjoy a very simple salad of spring mix, olives, and blueberries topped with a mix of balsamic & oil.

[leiadowns]

Totally obsessed with roasted sweet potatoes in my salad right now!

[Juice06870]

There is a great Greek restaurant I go to which serves a horiatiki salad, which is basically cubed cucumbers and tomatoes, along with some sliced onions and some olives.  They add feta cheese, but it's easy to have them leave that off.  That has been my inspiration for making salads at home, I was getting really tired of the leafy salads.   I'll cube up a cucumber and tomato, slice a pepper, add some olive oil and I really enjoy it.  Of course I'll have a good sized serving of protein and fat with it, just in a separate container or plate, not on top of the salad.  

 

Here is a pic of the salad, just don't add the cheese (it's not my salad, just a pic from the internets)

 

http://thewanderlustkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/authentic-Greek-salad-horiatiki-4.jpg