The Everyday Salad

I call this the “Everyday Salad” because I quite literally have it almost every day. It never ceases to satisfy us with its wonderful flavor, texture, and versatility. It is the perfect base for pretty much anything you want to put on top — seasonal fruit, fresh veggies, salmon, chicken, chickpeas, or lentils are my go-tos.

There’s a few key things to keep in mind when making a salad to ensure that it will taste delicious:

1. Fresh lettuce: If you get your lettuce at the farmer’s market, you won’t regret it. The next best thing is to buy whole heads of lettuce at the local grocery store. Right when you get home from your shopping trip, wash each leaf of lettuce, and lay them out on a kitchen towel. Roll up the towel with the lettuce inside, and place in the vegetable drawer in your fridge. You will have fresh, clean, and crisp lettuce for at least a week!

2. Fresh herbs: If there’s one thing that changed my salad game, it’s the addition of fresh herbs. Flavor beyond belief. Trust me.

3. Texture: I love adding texture to my salads through the use of seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax) or chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachios).

4. A good dressing: A good vinaigrette can make any salad taste better! I go between red wine vinegar, balsamic, and apple cider vinegar, but I always use a high quality olive oil, dijon, and minced shallot in my dressings.

The Everyday Salad

Ali Beck | April 16, 2020

• prep time: 5 min.
• total time: 5 min.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 head fresh lettuce (red leaf and butter lettuce are my favorites)
• 1/2 apple, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh herbs (mint and basil are my favorites)
• 1/4 c. pickled red onions
• 1/4 c. seeds or chopped nuts (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios)
• 1 oz. goat cheese
• Optional: chickpeas, lentils, salmon, or roasted chicken for protein

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1-2 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 small shallot, minced

Instructions:

1. Tear clean lettuce into a large salad bowl. Thinly slice the apple and carrot, and finely chop the fresh herbs. Add the apple, carrot, herbs, seeds, goat cheese, pickled red onions, and other optional toppings to the salad bowl.
2. Mince the shallot, and whisk together the shallot and the rest of the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar or small bowl.
3. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette and serve!

Spring Salad w/ Creamy Dill Dressing

Salad:

• 1 bag Spring mix, or one head of fresh lettuce

• 1 handful sugar snap peas, cut in half

• 1/2 c. chopped Spring herbs (mint, basil, chives, parsley)

• 1/2 apple, chopped

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1 c. roasted chicken

Dressing:

• 1/4 c. mayo (vegan or regular)

• 1/4 c. organic plain greek yogurt

• 2 Tbs. lemon juice

• 1 tsp. dijon

• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

• salt and pepper to taste

Grilled Corn Salad

This is the perfect salad recipe to add to some summer grilling, and it is so easy! 

Salad:

• 1 head of lettuce

• 1 ear of sweet yellow corn

• 1 avocado

• 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• goat cheese or feta cheese on top

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup fresh basil

• 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tbs. olive oil

• 1 tsp. honey

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Shuck the ear of corn, and completely wrap it in foil. Place on the grill and cook for about 15 minutes. If you don't want to use the grill, you can shave off the corn and sauté it on the stove with olive oil.

2. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

3. Assemble the salad ingredients, combine with the dressing, and enjoy!

*(You can add more or less honey to the dressing to your liking. If you want a thicker dressing, mix with a little bit of dijon mustard).

Summer Orzo Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orzo
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1 large carrot
• 1 ear fresh corn
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 10-12 cherry tomatoes
• 2-3 sprigs fresh basil
• 1-2 Tbs. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• goat cheese or parmesan cheese (optional)
• Organic chicken sausage, salmon, or another protein (optional)

Instructions:

1. Begin by slicing the zucchini, carrot, and mushrooms into thin slices. Chop the bell pepper as well. Shuck the corn, and holding it over a cutting board or plate, slice off the kernals from all sides of the ear of corn.
2. Begin boiling a medium-size pot of water over high heat. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
3. While the water is boiling, begin sautéing the vegetables over medium heat. Using about 1 Tbs. of olive oil, sauté the zucchini, bell pepper, and carrots. Add the corn and mushrooms after 5 minutes.
4. Once the water is boiling, add the orzo and cook for 8-9 minutes, depending on desired texture. 
5. While the orzo is boiling, continue to stir the vegetables. When the vegetables are softened and start to brown, they can be taken off the heat.
6. If you have time here, chop the tomatoes in half, and chop the basil leaves into smaller pieces (This can also be done at the end).
7. When the orzo is cooked through, drain the water and place the orzo in a large bowl. 
8. Add the sautéed vegetables, tomatoes, basil, 1 Tbs. olive oil, and some crumbled goat cheese or parmesan. Season with salt & pepper to taste. 

This salad can be enjoyed hot or cold. I enjoyed it with salmon burgers and avocado. You could also add some organic chicken sausage, or any other form of protein that sounds delicious to you! 

Spring Market Salad

FRESH

SEASONAL

LOCAL

FLAVORFUL

COLORFUL

This salad stands out. Go to your local market and find a few herbs, a fresh fruit, some fresh lettuce, and throw it all together. You will be blown away by how it can make your salad go from good to extraordinary. Throw some chicken or fish on there and make it an entire meal! Have fun :D

Ingredients:

• 3-4 butter lettuce gems, cut in half
• handful of sorrel leaves, chopped
• handful of basil leaves, chopped
• 1 mandarin orange
• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
• 3-4 radishes, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced or chopped

Dressing:

• Juice of 1 blood orange
• 1-2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2-3 Tbs. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Remove the herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme) from the stems and chop into small pieces. Slice the radish. Peel and cut the avocado. Peel and separate the mandarin orange slices.
2. Wash the butter lettuce gems and cut in half. Wash and chop the sorrel.
3. Arrange the gems on a platter, sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top.
4. Combine all of the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over the salad.

Autumn Salad

I love eating with the seasons. It's when produce is the most fresh, flavorful and packed with nutrients. This salad is a quick and easy way to experience some of autumn's goodness. I used asian pears from our tree outside, but you could easily use any pear or apple that is in season. Also, the pomegranate isn't necessary, but it just looked so pretty, so why not? :) 

salad:

• 1 bunch of tuscan kale

• 1 delicata squash

• 1 pear or apple

• Trader Joe's pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds (pecans would also taste great)

• goat cheese (or feta cheese)

dressing:

• 1/4 c. olive oil

• 1/8 c. apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp. maple syrup

• 1 tsp. dijon mustard

• salt and pepper

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon, and cut each side into thin slices. Place the pieces on a large baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

3. While the delicata squash is baking, combine chopped kale, apple slices, goat cheese, and pumpkin seeds.

4. Combine all of the dressing ingredients and stir till the oil is no longer separated from the rest of the ingredients.

5. Add the cooked delicata squash to the salad, and toss the salad with as much dressing as desired.