Are you in a salad rut? Same old salad every time?
I have a formula that I use as a basis for just about every salad I make, even this Berry Salad with Monte Cristo Croutons
All Seasons Salad =
greens + seasonal fruit and/or vegetable + protein [nuts and/or meat]
+ cheese [optional] + croutons [optional]
With this formula, there are endless possibilities and ways to serve the combinations
AND, just add more protein to make it a main dish salad…my guys like leftover steak, BBQ pork or BBQ chicken. My favorite is to pick up some Chick-fil-A nuggets to top a fresh salad for a fast weeknight meal
This simply tossed Red White and Blue Salad =
lettuce, raw cauliflower + blueberries + bacon + bleu cheese
Stuffed Peach Salad with Balsamic Drizzle=
fresh spinach + fresh peaches+ pecans and prosciutto [no cheese]
Instead of a simple tossed salad, the nuts are stuffed into the peach cavities and the peaches are topped with prosciutto and then roasted
In this Stacked Tomato Salad, you will find the same basic formula served in a stack version
Romaine + fresh tomato slices + bacon + bleu cheese in dressing form
Maple Bacon Wrapped Pear Salad features elegant, bacon wrapped, roasted pear slices
Spinach + pears + bacon, pecans and walnuts + bleu cheese
This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Maple Bacon is a very similar salad, but the ingredients are just diced and tossed together
Magic Blueberry Salad = romaine + apples, blueberries + pecans + bleu cheese makes it’s own dressing because you roast the blueberries and apples in the oven with the bleu cheese…
Heaven!
Holiday Salad is perhaps the best example of my All Seasons Salad formula. I call it holiday salad because we love to have it at Christmastime to offset the heavier foods.
Full of oranges, apples, cranberries and almonds, it is a treat anytime of year
HOLIDAY SALAD
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves torn
- 4 cups spring mix
- 6 cups romaine lettuce torn into bite size pieces
- 8 fresh strawberries sliced [optional]
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups mandarin oranges or chopped fresh oranges
- 2 granny smith apples peel on, diced
- 1 cup buttery sugar almonds*
Instructions
- Put greens into a large salad bowl and see if it looks like the right amount for the number you are serving. Add the fruits and anything else you want to toss in there! Just before serving add the almonds and toss with your favorite vinaigrette or oil based dressing. 12 servings
- *put almonds in a skillet with some butter and brown sugar and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until caramelized and just starting to brown. Add salt to taste. Remove to wax paper to cool. Store in a jar.
I don’t like heavily dressed salads, I prefer to let the ingredients sing away...these light vinagrettes help marry the salad ingredients without overpowering them
Another favorite vinaigrette is Wild Maine Blueberry Vinaigrette from Cindy’s Kitchen. In my area it is carried by Whole Foods and Fresh Market. Cindy’s Kitchen dressings are made from all natural ingredients and you can see the line of products here
If you like a heavier cream dressing, try using 1/2 creamy dressing and 1/2 vinaigrette for a refreshing change
Don’t forget to keep a batch of caramelized pecans, walnuts and almonds on hand for delicious crunchy additions to your salad creations
Super Simple Caramelized Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecan halves walnuts or sliced almonds
- 1 T real butter
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter in olive oil over medium low heat. Add nuts and brown sugar. Cook and stir until nuts begin to brown and caramelize. Season with salt to taste. Watch carefully to avoid burning nuts. Turn nuts out onto wax paper to set. Store cooled nuts in a jar in the pantry.
AND if you want to add something extra, you might want to try:
Homemade Garlic Croutons
Garlic Croutons
Ingredients
- 1 slice bread per serving
- 1 T butter for each slice
- 1 garlic clove for every 2 slices
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Remove crusts and cube bread. Melt butter with OO in heavy skillet and saute garlic for several minutes and then remove. Add bread cubes and saute over medium heat, watching carefully so bread doesn’t burn, adding more butter or OO if necessary. Turn cubes to brown all sides. Cook in batches for best results.
Just because Summer’s over, Salad Season is year round~ Happy Munching!
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