I don't know about you, but for myself, with these Spring days that are warming up and the gorgeous sunshine we have been enjoying of late, I find myself craving salads.
I adore salads. They are one of my absolute favorite things to make and to eat, and this is the time of year that I drag my salad spinner out from my kitchen store cupboard and blow the dust off of it!
Honestly, I could eat salad any time of the year, but in the winter months I tend to gravitate more towards ready made salad kits. Probably because there is a general lack of fresh local produce to choose from.
We are not quite enjoying much in fresh local produce yet, except for the tomatoes and cucumbers which are grown in a local greenhouse, but it won't be long, so I thought it would be fun to share some of my absolute all-time-favorite salads today!
Yes, I am whetting my whistle for summer salads!
Before I actually start sharing any recipes, let me say that you can build a salad out of just about anything.
Most people don't really need a recipe to make a salad . . . salads are generally quite easy to throw together. What we do need though are ideas on how to put salads together. Salads can be very boring, or they can be fabulous. The choice is up to you really!I shared a really great tutorial here, on HOW TO BUILD A BETTER SALAD. Do be sure to check it out for all of my hints, tips and ideas!
One of my favorite main meal salads is this one that I made several years back. It is considered to be a composed salad. This simply means that that it is a salad which has been put together with a variety of ingredients and then served with a simple, yet delicious dressing.
In this case it is a delicious fresh Tarragon, Chervil and Chive Dressing. On the plate there is a delicious mixture of crispy tender vegetables (peas, tender stem broccoli, and baby carrots). I have also added some crisp salad leaves, boiled new potatoes and leftover cooked chicken. Nobody complained.
CHICKEN TACO SALAD - This is a real favorite salad. I love taco salads of any kind, but they can often be loaded with fat and calories. This is a low fat version composed of plenty of tasty coated chicken pieces, loads of vegetables, crisp lettuce, baked tortilla crisps and a zesty Tex Mex spicy dressing to drizzle over top.
GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD - This has always been my favorite of all salads. Far too often I have ordered one in a restaurant only to be disappointed when it arrives, with limp lettuce which has seen better days, chicken you have to hunt for and a less than flavor-filled dressing.
This homemade salad will not disappoint! Lovely seasoned and grilled chicken, crisp romaine lettuce, pieces of crispy bacon, homemade crispy croutons and a tangy flavor filled Caesar dressing!
TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND PASTA SALAD - With its delicious sweet and sour poppyseed dressing, this salad is a really winning combination of cooked shredded turkey, tangy sour cherries, farfalle (bowtie) pasta, and blue cheese crumbles. Serve on a bed of shredded ice berg lettuce which adds an additional layer of crispness.
BACON AND EGG SALAD - Another main dish salad. Here you have crisp hearts of romaine lettuce, topped with rich quartered boiled egg, crispy bacon, grilled tomatoes and crisp homemade buttery croutons. With its fabulous creamy dressing, you can have your bacon and eat it too!
MOM'S POTATO SALAD - My mother always made the best potato salad. Everyone always asks me for this recipe and it is a salad that I am often asked to bring to Pot Lucks. It is the perfect balance of potato, crunch, dressing and of course topped with slices of perfectly boiled eggs.
CLASSIC COBB SALAD - A delicious salad which comes from the days of the Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood. Chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, boiled egg, cheese and avocado, delicately placed in a delicious manner and drizzled with a lush sherry vinaigrette dressing.
TUNA NICOISE SALAD - Another classic salad. Individual ingredients are dressed and then arranged on a plate. Crispy tender haricots vert (thin string beans), boiled new potatoes, chunked albacore tuna, boiled egg, sliced tomato. Great quality ingredients, simple, simple dressing. All composed together into a really delicious salad.
BISTRO POTATO SALAD - You will picture yourself sunning yourself on the French Riviera when you sit down in front of this delicious version of potato salad. Perfectly cooked potato, chives, egg, radish, all on a bed of mixed salad greens and dressed with a lush and light vinaigrette dressing.
BIG FAT GREEK SALAD - With plenty of fresh garden vegetables . . . ripe tomatoes, cucumbers . . . red peppers. Add some lovely salted Greek Olives, plenty of salty crumbled Feta and a beautifully herby Greek Salad vinaigrette dressing. This always goes down a real treat. It is the perfect combination of crunchy, salty, creamy and tangy! It goes wonderfully along side any kind of grilled meat, fish or poultry!
And there you have it, some of my salad favorites to fill your salad cravings for these early days of Spring!
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Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
You just made my day!!! Thanks for the yummy ideas. Hope you are feeling better as well as your family.
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You are so welcome Barb! I really hope that you get to make a few of them! We are all feeling much better, but are still quite tired. I have heard we can feel that way for quite a while. Important thing is we are better! xo
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