I am a huge salad fan. I could eat one every night. I can eat the same basic combination for weeks or months, but then I'll hit a wall and want something different. With a bazillion recipes at my fingertips (cookbooks and the Internet), why can't I come up with more ideas? I am going to try this particular recipe (pictured above) tonight because I have the ingredients on hand (including some beautiful curly leaf spinach -- my favorite), but I need more ideas. Help?
In a spirit of reciprocity, I give you a favorite salad recipe of mine. It was the last one we were eating until I finally burned out. I made it for the first time a few nights after Little E was born. It's very good, just don't eat it 37 nights in a row!
Little E's Autumn Salad
Mixed greens
2 small gala apples, roughly chopped
1/4 c. candied pecans (I used the ones in a bag from Trader Joe's)
1/4 c. raisins
Crumbled goat cheese
Rice wine vinegar to taste
Canola oil to taste (I almost always use olive oil on salads, but for this one, I wanted a really light, clean taste)
In a spirit of reciprocity, I give you a favorite salad recipe of mine. It was the last one we were eating until I finally burned out. I made it for the first time a few nights after Little E was born. It's very good, just don't eat it 37 nights in a row!
Little E's Autumn Salad
Mixed greens
2 small gala apples, roughly chopped
1/4 c. candied pecans (I used the ones in a bag from Trader Joe's)
1/4 c. raisins
Crumbled goat cheese
Rice wine vinegar to taste
Canola oil to taste (I almost always use olive oil on salads, but for this one, I wanted a really light, clean taste)
Salt and pepper
What are your favorite salad combinations?
What are your favorite salad combinations?
photo credit romulo yanes
This is my current favorite salad, from the Ottolenghi cookbook: Fennel and Feta with Pomegranate Seeds, with a lemony-sumac vinaigrette. It's simply delicious.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/4159882/Fennel-and-feta-with-pomegranate-seeds.html
blake: that sounds delicious! thank you! we're bummed we don't have any pomegranates left. may have to break down and buy some. :-)
ReplyDeletei too am a major salad fan. in fact, w have deemed monday night salad night because we usually have a bunch of fresh produce from the weekend's farmers market. a recent fave is papaya, avo, cilantro, arugula, toasted cashews and lime. doesn't even need oil thanks to the avocado.
ReplyDeleteits late at night..but i want that salad right now! yum!
ReplyDeleteI was "bloghopping" and came across your blog. I'd love for you and any of your readers to participate in my very first Blog Swap!
check it out:
http://davidandblairmcleod.blogspot.com/2010/01/favorite-things-swap.html
Leaf salads are great, but one of my favorites is actually a lentil salad made with cucumber, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and parsley.
ReplyDeleteIt's a recipe that I figured out after tasting from the deli counter at Whole Foods, where they called it, "Biblical Lentil Salad." Sooooo good. And super healthy.
Here's a post I wrote about it a while ago, along with the recipe: http://brittanymdp.vox.com/library/post/biblical-lentil-soup.html.
Can I ask what camera you use? All your photos come out so clear and crisp. I have a little bit of a crush.
ReplyDeletei could eat this one every day & pretty much did this summer - it's the great green salad by tyler florence:
ReplyDeletevinaigrette:
1 shallot, minced
1t. dijon mustard
2t. red wine vinegar
1/4cup olive oil
1t. sugar
1t. honey
salt pepper
shake/mix etc.
6 cups mixed greens
1c. green grapes sliced in half
1/4 cup pistachios
handfull of fresh dill (or dried dill to taste)
combine & toss w/ dressing
so good. hope you enjoy!
Karmen
Minnetonka MN
I put a little spin on Little E's salad with what I had around and used half mixed greens, half baby spinach, peeled and sectioned Cuties (aka clementines), feta, pecans toasted with brown sugar and cardamom, thinly sliced red onion and white balsamic vinegar with olive oil. Looking forward to trying everyone's recipes after a trip to the market.
ReplyDeleteHilarious, that's us too (my husband has to have salad every night). For years we were greens, shaved parm, any veggies on hand and red wine vinaigrette. Now we're currently in greens, apples, nuts, blue cheese & vinaigrette stage. The dressing and type of nut varies but we always have this stuff on hand so it's easy (or lazy, whichever you prefer)
ReplyDeletewe had a similar version of this salad for NYE and it almost upstaged the crab legs.
ReplyDeletedidn't the NY Times run something on 100 great salads last summer?
Jora
ReplyDeletei am so with you...i could eat salad every single day.
this is my all time favorite one
http://simplelovely.blogspot.com/2008/12/recipe-for-you-and-one-for-me-please.html
I have made (and eaten) three of the Autumn salads today. So so good. Thanks for a great recipe!
ReplyDeleteJora, here is my perennial favorite: arugula, roasted cherry or grape tomatoes, crispy panccetta, sprinkling of marinated goat's cheese and red wine or sherry vinaigrette. Lately, though, we've also been doing blanched green beans, toasted pine nuts, lemon vinaigrette, also with a sprinkling of marinated goat's cheese. Great comments - getting very hungry....
ReplyDeleteOh my, these are all sounding so good. Roasted grape tomatoes and marinated goat cheese? Yes please!
ReplyDeleteMy go to salad, that my husband has coined the "Kristin salad" is arugula with cranberries, feta, candied cashews (yum!) and then just a light drizzle of lemon and olive oil. I can eat this every day, and almost nearly do!
ReplyDeleteI could eat a great tasty salad every day and be so ever happy! Thanks for the great recipe. Can't wait to try. I have a giveaway going if you'd like to join.
ReplyDeleteOh, to be a salad lover! I enjoy them at restaurants but not as much at home. When I worked at a little cafe, the chef made a salad with arugula, chopped watermelon, and blue cheese. it was very simple, but really good. She tossed it with a vinaigrette.
ReplyDeleteI'm inspired. I suck at salads although my husband and I both love them and (can you believe it) I even have a three year old who eats salad. I just need ideas. Maybe I'll try this one!
ReplyDeleteFunny! I have a couple of different salads in my queue of upcoming posts. :) I get bored easily and am always trying to find new ones...
ReplyDeleteI love salads, I also eat one pretty much every evening and since we are in summer where I live it is almost mandatory.
ReplyDeleteI had a great one this evening I posted on my blog, it's a Donna Hay recipe, really easy.
Cheers
Engracia
I made your salad tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe. Love all of the recipes of yours that I've tried.
ReplyDeleteI like an Alice Water's salad with grapefruit, arugula, onions and avocado. See here http://www.culinate.com/books/collections/all_books/Chez+Panisse+Fruit/Ruby+Grapefruit*2C+Avocado*2C+and+Spring+Onion+Salad
ReplyDeleteHmm. Looks like the link might not have worked. Try this one.
ReplyDeleteI eat a salad every day as well. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my current favorite dressing recipe:
Cumin Orange Dressing
1/2 cup OJ
5 TB olive oil
2 TB honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
Tastes best on a salad with lots of lettuce, sliced oranges, and slivered almonds!
Tried your salad last night and loved it! :)
You mentioned that you have pomegranates...try this:
ReplyDeletehttp://2frugalfoodies.com/recipes/side-dishes/winter-pomegranate-salad/
I'm enjoying your blog - you have a beautiful family!
our go-to salad is:
ReplyDeletebaby spinach, cherry toms (halved), small fresh mozz balls (halved), drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar reduction, s+p... i buy a good bottle of balsamic at trader joe's and reduce it to 1/4 and pour back in the jar- then it's always on hand!
another DELICIOUS option i just made for girl's night: http://tinyurl.com/c5ujwl
ENJOY!
Belgian endive
ReplyDeleteradicchio
sliced pear
pine nuts or toasted pecans
blue or goat cheese
dress with champagne vinegar + minced shallots + olive oil + frozen organic orange concentrate
heaven. you can add broiled chicken for more oomph.
also, a bible of salad-making is nytimes food writer mark bittman's 101 salads, which i wrote about here: http://bigbangstudio.blogspot.com/2009/09/indian-summer-in-bowl_21.html
cheers! and happy salad making!
one of my faves is spinach, honeycrisp apples, feta and walnuts with a balsamic vinaigrette. yums!
ReplyDeleteI am a big goat cheese fan. My favorite is any greens with sliced strawberries, goat cheese and pine nuts with balsamic vinegar, Olive oil, salt & pepper.
ReplyDelete