The Creative Salad Bowl
By Krista
Salads. Most commonly defined as: “raw greens (such as lettuce) often combined with other vegetables and toppings and served especially with dressing”. (Merriam-Webster).
I realize this is a sensitive topic for some. Do people actually LIKE salads? And make them withOUT force? And then actually EAT them?!
Appreciating a great salad came in my early twenties. I had begun learning about factory farming (brief introduction by ASPCA), which led me to remove meat from my diet for 8 years, which led me to understand that I couldn’t live on pasta and veggie burgers forever. I knew the time had come to learn how to work with dreaded vegetables.
I was fortunate to be working through an IIN Health Coach Certification and running the produce department for a MOM’s Organic Market location. I was immersed in healthy living and eating and began to branch out.
Salads became a staple. And the more I assembled, the more I realized that salads have a wide range of possibilities. Kind of like a good sandwich, you know? Eventually, you begin experimenting with new veggies and combinations, transforming each bowl into a culinary science experiment. The toppings are endless!
There are millions of internet ideas on making great salads. We’ve actually created a Pinterest board you can check out: Creative Salad Bowl. Take it up a notch and support your local farms. Not sure who is around? Loudounfarms.org is a great resource for our neighbors in Loudoun County, Virginia. Scoping out your local farmer’s market and grocery co-op are other good starting points.
Here is a list of 9 creative salads I’ve made in my own kitchen.
The Basic Bowl. This is the simple, backyard garden salad. Sometimes that’s literally ALL I need- something fresh and simple. I love playing with presentation too, whether that’s ingredient decor and arrangement or the dishes I use. Do what feels right in going the extra mile to make it feel special! It is a salad after all.
Ingredients: Butter lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radishes, fresh thyme and a squeeze of lemon.
This Counts As Salad Right? The simplest salad yet!
Ingredients: Good quality vanilla bean ice cream topped with juicy, local strawberries.
Okay- back to the healthier salads.
The Marriage of Fruits and Vegetables. If you are looking for an awesome cookbook that stars “The Vegetable”, I recommend Eating from the Ground Up by Alana Chernila. She is pretty incredible. I have done several variations of this salad, but here is the original rendition. The sweet melon; tartness of lemon juice; bitterness of arugula; and saltiness of prosciutto mix so perfectly for a super bright, refreshing salad.
Ingredients: Arugula, goat cheese, honeydew melon, prosciutto, grind of pepper, olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice
The Fajita Salad. Fun, easy, identifiable.
Ingredients: This is peppers, red onion and chicken cooked in fajita seasoning and placed over crunchy romaine lettuce.
The Deconstructed Turkey Sandwich Salad. Sometimes it’s fun to mix it all up on your own and get the perfect bites you want.
Ingredients: Baby lettuce, turkey lunch meat, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, pears and a homemade dijon vinaigrette.
Fancy Tuna Salad. Growing up, salads got ranch dressing. Period. Now, I realize that some toppings can provide all the oils and flavors you need! This guy brings in flavors and juices from the kim chi, while the sauteed veggies provide a little oil.
Ingredients: Spinach/arugula, shredded carrots, kim-chi, pickled ginger, peppered tuna, radish micro greens, sautee’d green beans and shiitake mushrooms
The Breakfast Salad Your Husband WILL Eat. I think this combination truly convinced my husband that salads were safe.
Ingredients: Baby spinach/kale base, gold beets, hardboiled eggs, feta cheese, apple, prosciutto, bacon, radish sprouts, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
The Flavorful Vegan Salad. This Roasted Chili Basil Lime Tofu Bowl salad is packed with flavor and was created compliments of The First Mess Cookbook. And? This salad is vegan. Treat your body once in a while!
Ingredients: Mixed Greens base, chili/lime/basil tofu and broccoli, tomatoes, micro-greens, pickled ginger
The Up-Level Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad. This one takes chicken caesar salad up 500 notches.
Ingredients: Romaine lettuce base, barley/quinoa, vine ripened cherry tomatoes, pepperoncinis, croutons, parmesan cheese, blackened chicken thighs, caesar dressing.
