It’s salad season. You know that time of the year when everyone’s got the “I really want to lose 3 pounds” New Year’s resolution, resulting in a diet of juices, smoothies and (most of all) healthy salads. Working in the retail industry, I am constantly keeping up with sales trends and consumer behavior. I can confidently confirm that January is the most popular month for kale, spinach and all other manner of leafy green vegetables.
During my work week, I like to prepare a more simple salad for lunch (similar to the one pictured above). This salad is made with tender greens, something crunchy (nuts or seeds), something pickled, and an acidic vinaigrette. I’ll often serve a protein on the side (chicken breast, shrimp, pork chop). A tart vinaigrette is one that I almost always like the most. Usually made with sherry vinegar (recipe below). There’s just something about a salad with big, bright flavors that fills me up and keeps me satisfied while at work.
On the weekends, I like to prepare salads that are a bit more involved. These salads can include roasted vegetables, homemade croutons, broiled meats and/or various shaved or crumbled cheeses. Sometimes I’ll let loose, and make a creamy salad dressing. I mean it’s the weekend, so it’s totally allowed 😉
Since salad is going to be on my daily menu for the next 3 months, I am on the hunt for some new inspiration, so please share your favorite salad recipe in the comment section below. Continue reading for some of my favorite salad recipes plus a recipe for my Sherry Vinaigrette.
Here are some examples of my weekend salads:
Roasted Beet Salad with Creamy Caraway Dressing
Marinated Flank Steak Salad with Feta and Arugula
And here’s my simple recipe for a Sherry Vinaigrette:
Sherry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 scant tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 dab of honey (about an 1/8 of a teaspoon)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Optional add-ins: 1/2 garlic clove minced, chopped fresh herbs
Instructions
-
Add oil, vinegar, mustard and honey to a small mason jar. Season with 2 pinches of salt and several turns of black pepper. I like to over-season this vinaigrette, so I don't have to add any additional salt to the salad greens. Also add any of the optional add-ins here. Secure the lid on the mason jar, and shake until well-combined. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and black pepper.
Now it’s your turn! What’s your favorite salad recipe?
3
lynn @ the actor's diet says
During the week when I don’t have time to think my go-to salad is spinach, sweet potato (hot to wilt the greens), hummus, candied almonds, raisins and turkey. Just typing that made me crave it.
Brandon Matzek says
Wow, that sounds awesome! And pretty substantial.
sippitysup says
It may sound too simple to be good, but I like a salad of raw mushrooms, celery leaves, Parmesan and lemon juice. http://www.sippitysup.com/italian-mushroom-celery-heart-salad-from-my-past-life-to-yours/
GREG
Brandon Matzek says
Looks great! I need to give this a try. I love simple salads.
Laura says
A friend turned me onto this: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/06/17/weekend-glow-kale-salad/
And I’ve made this salad many times: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-onion-beef-sweet-potato-salad-10000000443502/
Brandon Matzek says
Both salads look interesting! But I’m really drawn to that lemon-tahini dressing with the kale. Seems like a fun way to switch up my usual lemon + olive oil.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Great looking salads and I just posted one today – thanks for the comment 🙂
My perfect salad is one with tons of textures and different flavors going on!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Averie :)!
Erika Santiago says
My absolute favorite salad is a Chicken Citrus Salad (it’s delicious on a summer day!):
Chicken breast
romaine lettuce
avocados
mandarin orange slices
white raisins
dried cranberries
blue cheese crumbles
granny smith apples
Pecans
green onions
Serve with a citrus dressing.
Brandon Matzek says
Sounds delicious!! Thanks for sharing Erika.
Cory says
My new favorite is Ginger Tamarind Brussels Sprouts.
Take a lb of Brussels sprouts and cut them into fine thin shreds. Saute some freshly grated ginger root in hot oil, add the Brussels sprouts to the oil, mix well and cook with occasional stirring for 8-10 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix tamarind paste, hot water, and honey to a thinner paste. Taste and adjust the sweetness with more honey if desired. If it is too acidic then you can add a little more hot water. Serve the warm Brussels sprouts with the tamarind sauce on the side. You can also drizzle a little sauce over the Brussels sprouts and then serve the rest of the sauce with it. Tamarind sauce and honey is not only tasty, but may also have medicinal properties that will help you stave off winter colds and flu. Enjoy!
Brandon Matzek says
This is awesome!! Thanks Cory. Jorge and I love brussels, so we will definitely give this a try 🙂
Devon says
My latest salad obsession is a kale salad with roasted fennel, tomatoes, and broccolini, topped with a little feta, quinoa, and kalamatas. I toss the kale in lemon juice while everything else roasts and that combined with the olive oil the veggies are tossed in before being roasted serves as salad dressing. I roast big batches of the veggies on Sunday and as long as I don’t gobble it all up straight out of the oven they make it easy to toss together a salad for work in the morning or when I get home at the end of the day and don’t want/have time to cook.
Brandon Matzek says
This sounds fantastic Devon! I love the addition of roasted vegetables. An easy way to switch things up based on what’s in season!
Brian says
Salt, pepper, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, BAM one of the best salad dressings ever.
I like having it with shallots, brie, fuji apples, pan-fried salmon, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, frisee, arugula, baby kale, toasted sesame and sunflower seeds. Lots of washing, chopping and fussing around in the kitchen putting the salad together but greed finds its way.
And when I’m feeling lazy, I like bacon and hard boiled (semi-runny yolk)eggs with iceberg lettuce and red cabbage. Fry bacon, remove, throw in chopped tomatoes into bacon-infused oil, whisk in worcestershire sauce and some chopped garlic. Pour almost instant hot salad dressing over salad. Sprinkle bacon. Tumble sliced egg. Grind pepper. Apply to face.
Coffee-er says
I am such a fan of quinoa and it’s so perfect for spring salads! This is such a great list – there are a few I want to try. I’ve never had black quinoa so that Green Goddess Black Quinoa Salad in particular is calling to me!
Christine says
I have been eating salad for dinner for almost 6 years and I love it. I love mixing something new everyday.
This is what I ate today but sometimes I add chickpeas, green beans, cabbage, pickles, beetroot, corn pasta, quinoa, brown rice, a hard boiled egg or avocado (not all at once. basically you can just play with all the ingredients, use some and skip the others
Salad leaves
Baby spinach
Broccoli
Green peas
Black olives
Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers
Radishes
Carrots
Red onions
Garlic
Bell pepper
Flax seeds
I use a dressing made of lemon juice and olive oil and at the end I sprinkle some pick himalayan salt which is very healthy