Posted in Kitchen
When I go out to eat I always look on the menu at the salad selection. I have found that chain restaurants have a limited and boring salad menu; perhaps 6 salads all containing a variety of chicken (grilled, blackened, or fried) with a a variety of dressings, greens, and additions. While this may be boring to look at when dinning out, salad variety can really spice up a menu plan at a low cost. Here is a list of salad additions that can change a salad from boring to WOW with little effort and cash.
-
dried cranberries
-
nuts and/or seeds
-
fruit (strawberries, blueberries, orange chunks, pineapple, apple)
-
Colorful veggies (think julienned beets, jicama, summer squash, etc)
-
Peas
-
Fresh herbs (mint, thyme, lemon grass, lavender, cilantro, dandelion greens, etc)
-
Beans (chick peas, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans)
-
Sprouts
-
Olives (a wide variety of olives are available at most groceries)
-
Any type of crumbly cheese
-
Grains (cold pasta, rice, couscous, etc)
-
Variety of greens (Iceberg and Romaine are a great base, but add some baby greens, spinach, or red lettuce for added zest)
Is it freezing out? Snow on the ground? Salad may not seem like a winter comfort food, but coupled with some warm staples it makes for a new comfort tradition. Try adding a side of marinated and baked meat like chicken, pork, steak. A really tasty combination is to grill marinated or seasoned chicken or steak, and then slice. Top your salad with steak cut potatoes (baked or fried) and the meat. Then sprinkle with a mexican mix of cheese. This is a great way to stretch your meat and still have a well rounded comfort food meal.
Salads are limitless. If you think of an idea, try it. I once tried broiling a piece of salmon coated with pecans with a salad and it is now one of my favorites. When visiting Colorado Springs I went to this little hole int he wall place and had a FANTABULOUS salad, with cranberries, walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, mixed greens, and a raspberry vinagrette. I have recreated this salad at home and it is just as fantabulous. Another favorite salad is a california plate at a local posh restaurant, but it is simple; mixed greens, walnuts that are baked with garlic, gorgonzola cheese crumbles and a thick raspberry vinagrette.
Don't stop with veggie based salads either. There are tons of ways to make fruit salad without it being boring. Instead of just cutting up fruit, try using only one or two types of fruit and drizzle with a honey or a homemade syrup.
If you have a good salad at a restuurant, make a mental note of it and try recreating it at home. Check out the web for new ideas too. Don't waste time re-inventing the wheel. Look for recipes others have used and try them as is, or make them your own. Try a warm salad. Try making a new dressing from preserves you may have on hand or fruit you may have frozen in your freezer. They can really change up a menu, especially in the winter. Paired with a bowl of soup and a fresh warm crust of bread, salad can easily become a frugal staple that is tasty, comforting, healthful, and satisfying.
These are my thoughts.
Posted by 
