How many times will catch your thinking in standard salad ingredients if you begin to prepare? It's time to be creative and crazy with the ingredients. I am a bit of a creative chef when composing me any food, but especially when creating salads.
Go wild with veges. How about including some freshly cut green beans, grilled zucchini, avocado, mushrooms, grated beets, cherry tomatoes, peppers of different colors, or shredded cabbage (red cabbage looks great!). Or try something a little different, like fennel, snow peas, asparagus, artichokes.
A handful of cheese as Parmesan or crumbled blue cheese gives a boost taste delicious. Torn mozzarella or crumbled feta cheese are also fabulous.
How about adding some fruit? Dates, fresh blueberries, sliced watermelon, pear segments, orange or Manderin all work well and provide a balance of good taste of savory ingredients.
3. Think outside the lettuce
The old and tired iceberg lettuce appear on the salad has been a staple of my entire life! A silent sigh every time I see him served (usually with grated carrot, tomato and cucumber). There are great options for many out there.
If you are looking for green areas that are hundreds of different types to choose from. Ok maybe not all are available in your local market, but if yours is like mine, there are at least six different types of lettuce on top of my head. Some of my favorites are costly, Buttercrunch and deer tongue. How about a fresh rocket (always my first choice) or spinach? Lettuce is very easy to grow at home, even if you only have a wee balcony.
How about leaving the leaves completely? How about a fresh watermelon, feta cheese, red onion and basil salad? A salad of grated carrot, orange slices, cashews and cumin seeds? Or blanched beans, radishes, red onion and cilantro? Puy green lentils, oven-dried tomatoes, red onion, parsley, chives and dill?
4. Add a little protein
I'ma big fan of adding protein to the salad. Adding protein can turn your limp salad accompaniment to a meal in itself. This is especially important if you are feeding the guests without gluten or celiac disease, frankly, are starving in an hour if you only feed them a few leaves. It also has a lot of energy to chew through the lettuce and it is very disappointing if only going to fill temporarily the gap.
A wide selection of protein sources to choose from. You can add chicken, beef, lamb, tuna (fresh or canned), salmon (ditto), shrimp, beans (chickpeas, beans, beans, etc), lentils (Puy are especially good), tofu, eggs hard, quinoa, rice, carrots, corn or almonds. Simply choose one or two on the list and dispersion through the salad.
If you add the meat, I prefer to make my own so I know exactly what is in it. Cooking a whole chicken stuffed provide a family meal one night, and much more for a salad or two in the following days.
At a stretch you can add bacon or cold cuts, but mostly they are highly processed and not recommended. As a gluten-free dining room, avoiding meats especially these days (although I admit to a love of salami, which I can not reverse).
5. Add the seeds, nuts and fresh herbs
The secret to a tasty salad is the addition of small explosions of unexpected flavor. Seeds, nuts and fresh herbs are the perfect addition. Try seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or poppy seeds or a combination. Add some walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans or pine nuts. Toss in some Pomegrante seeds that are excellent.
There are no limits to the types of fresh herbs can be thrown in your salad, or the number of different types of herbs you can use in a salad. My favorite herbs are basil and always cilantro. I also use fresh mint given the chance. How about a little Italian parsley, sage, thyme, dill, chives, oregano, or? Or stretch your culinary adventures and try lemon balm, dandelion, chicory, marshmellow or purple (yes, those cute little purple flowers are edible).
