# What do you put on your salad?



## Jeekinz

I made one last night that turned out to be the main course with a side of quiche. lol

Romaine, sliced raddish, diced green apple, shaved carrot, diced cucumber, scallions red and green bell pepper, diced Feta.  I dressed it with Creamy Italian, salt and pepper.

Now that I think of it, I had two packaged of croutons I could have used.


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## YT2095

other than make my own simple dressing for salads, I AM partial to those Crispy fried onions and bacon bits


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## pdswife

I love a good Greek salad.. tomatoes, cukes, onions, red peppers
with a olive oil and vinegar, salt,pepper and oregano dressing.  
A little feta doesn't hurt.


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## redkitty

I love greek salads too!

I like olives, red bell pepper, dried cranberries, candied pecans, feta, shredded carrots, celery, avocado, spring onions, hard boiled eggs, apples...but not all together in one salad!!!  

I'm also not fond of thick dressings, just a little extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper.

Oh and I love warm spinach salads!


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## Jeekinz

redkitty said:


> I love greek salads too!
> 
> I like olives, red bell pepper, dried cranberries, candied pecans, feta, shredded carrots, celery, avocado, spring onions, hard boiled eggs, apples...but not all together in one salad!!!
> 
> I'm also not fond of thick dressings, just a little extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper.
> 
> Oh and I love warm spinach salads!


 
Give us some combos of those ingredients.


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## Barb L.

Out normal everyday salad is- sliced red onions, sliced cukes, cherry tomatoes, black olives (if have) and grated parms., with choice of dressings.


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## redkitty

Ok Jeekinz, here's one combo to start, I'll be back with more!!

Dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese and candied pecans* tossed with mixed greens and oil & vinegar, salt & pepper to taste. 

** Candied Pecans

*4 ounces pecans
2 tbs sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 egg white, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, toss pecans with sugar, cayenne, melted butter and egg white; place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 300F oven for 20 minutes.


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## *amy*

I'm a salad lover -- how much time have you got?  One of my faves is salad nicoise, or eggplant, or waldorf, or cobb, or caesar, or pasta, or seafood, or basil & tomato. Any fresh ingredients - avaocado, fruit etc., and/or roasted veggies - sparagus, green beans, tomaters. Panzanella, during the hot summer months, is a goodie. Too many to name.


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## buckytom

pdswife said:


> I love a good Greek salad.. tomatoes, cukes, onions, red peppers
> with a olive oil and vinegar, salt,pepper and oregano dressing.
> A little feta doesn't hurt.


 

no anchovies? or dolmades?  that's what makes a salad greek to me. 


i like goat cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds, craisins, walnuts, and sliced pears on my mesculun, in a raspberry viniagrette.

or pignolis, shaved locatelli, and marinated mushrooms over arrugula/endive/radicchio, in balsamic viniagrette.


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## pacanis

Other than whatever dressing I'm in the mood for, crumbled blue cheese goes on the top of every "conventional" salad I make. I should really start putting croutons on my salad again, but always crumbled blue cheese.


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## redkitty

BuckyT, can you come over and make me a salad?  Thanks!

(yummy!)


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## YT2095

oh yeah, nearly forgot, if I do a beansprout salad, I will add smashed cashews or peanuts and always sesame seeds.


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## Jeekinz

redkitty said:


> Ok Jeekinz, here's one combo to start, I'll be back with more!!
> 
> Dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese and candied pecans* tossed with mixed greens and oil & vinegar, salt & pepper to taste.
> 
> ** Candied Pecans*
> 
> 4 ounces pecans
> 2 tbs sugar
> 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
> 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted
> 1 egg white, lightly beaten
> 
> In a large bowl, toss pecans with sugar, cayenne, melted butter and egg white; place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 300F oven for 20 minutes.


 
That sounds awesome. 

How about Iceberg Wedges?  Bleu cheese dressing, bacon, carrot, cucumber, spanish olives and crumbled bleu cheese.

Nothing beats a good salad and glass of white wine IMHO.


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## redkitty

Jeekinz said:


> spanish olives and crumbled bleu cheese.
> 
> Nothing beats a good salad and glass of white wine IMHO.



Drooling over here!!!


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## sattie

I usually like some sort of cheese, maybe some toasted pine nuts on just about any kind of greens.  Crumbled bacon is a plus and coarse black pepper.  Love fresh chopped veggies as well!  I am pretty easy when it comes to salads.  But as for a dressing, I love fresh lemon juice, evoo, and coarse salt.  That is my favorite here lately!


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## Maverick2272

Depends on the base we use. If it is mixed hearts I top with shredded cheese, croûtons, grilled chicken strips, bacon bits, shredded carrots, sliced radishes, black pepper, and a blue cheese dressings.
If we go with the lighter greens we top with Gorgonzola, dried cranberries, walnuts, grilled chicken strips, and a raspberry vinaigrette. Sometimes the wife will top an iceberg mix with seafood mix and dressing.


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## buckytom

redkitty said:


> BuckyT, can you come over and make me a salad? Thanks!
> 
> (yummy!)


 
no prob, kitty.  ok, one more fave, margherita salad: arrugula, basil, red peppers, prosciutto, and fresh bufala mozz salad..

i forgot about other "salads", like the ones amy mentioned.

shrimp and white bean salad, seafood salad, korean octopus salad, seaweed salad, pasta/artichoke/sundried tomato salad, etc. etc. 

you could sound like bubba from "forrest gump" after a while.


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## Jeekinz

Yeah, I was kinda focusing on lettuce-type of salads.  Not the mayo based ones like potato salad. (yes, I know you don't need to have mayo, lol)


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## corazon

We like our salads full to veggies and keep the lettuce down to a minimum. 
Here are some of the things we like:
Meat: chicken, bacon bits
Cheeses: boursin, goat cheese, blue, fresh mozz
Fruits: grapes, mandarin oranges, apples, pears
Nuts: toasted pine nuts, candied walnuts or pecans
Veggies: avocado, cukes, celery, carrots, tomato, green peppers, mushrooms, etc. 

We always have all the veggies above in our salads and one choice in each of the categories. makes for a huge tasty salad!


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## GotGarlic

I like cucumbers, roasted red pepper, avocado, tomatoes (roma or fresh from the garden), capers, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese with Italian dressing, or sometimes I use feta instead of Parmesan with Greek dressing instead of Italian.


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## ChefJune

I _LOVE_ salads, and I have a whole philosophy of salads. But I really can't post it here because it's more like a chapter in a book.  

Oh, _wait!_  It IS a chapter _in my book_!  See the description of Chapter 5!


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## Jeekinz

ChefJune said:


> I _LOVE_ salads, and I have a whole philosophy of salads. But I really can't post it here because it's more like a chapter in a book.
> 
> Oh, _wait!_  It IS a chapter _in my book_! See the description of Chapter 5!


 
If we act within the next 20 minutes will we recieve a complimentary flashlight keychain?


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## Jeff G.

Depends on my mood and what I am serving it with.  If it's all I am having, I tend to want a creamier dressing.  Some meals I want greek style olive oil with vinegar.  With a nice roast beef dinner---NOTHING beats sweetened mayonnaise(or Miracle Whip, your preference) on a wedge of lettuce with a little fresh ground black pepper. 

NOTE: sweetened mayo is mayo(miracle whip) a little milk and a little sugar.


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## Caine

At home, lettuce, dressing, cheese, and croutons. Sometimes some chiffonaded ham or turkey cold cuts.

At a salad bar, anything and everthing that will fit into and/or on top of the bowl they give me without falling on the floor, especially stuff that won't keep long in the refrigerator at home.


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## nesta67

The salad I have been eating for dinner a couple nights a week lately is:  romaine hearts with gorgonzola, craisins and spiced pecans with a raspberry vinagrette dressing.  It is SO delicious....hmmmm.....maybe I'll have one tonight.


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## Jeekinz

Caine said:


> At home, lettuce, dressing, cheese, and croutons. Sometimes some chiffonaded ham or turkey cold cuts.
> 
> At a salad bar, anything and everthing that will fit into and/or on top of the bowl they give me without falling on the floor, especially stuff that won't keep long in the refrigerator at home.


 
Good call with the Chef Salad.


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## Mac-n-Cheese!

I really only do 1 type of salad.

Mixed field greens with "marinated" black beans and corn (I put the corn and beans in a tupper ware bowl with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, lots of Cayenne and Onion Powder. I let it sit for 10-15 minutes). Sometimes I'll had some sliced chicken breast, and some crumbled up tortilla chips (not fond of croutons). and, always a mixture of italian and ranch dressing.


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## buckytom

lol chef june. love the plug. clicking on it now.. 

i forgot about the salads served with sushi: hearts of iceberg topped with raw red and yellow peppers, shaved red onion, cucumbers, and avocado in a creamy ginger or garlic and sesame oil dressing.


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## redkitty

I forgot about artichoke hearts!  Thats another fav on salads, oh and roasted red peppers.


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## Jeekinz

buckytom said:


> i forgot about the salads served with sushi: hearts of iceberg topped with raw red and yellow peppers, shaved red onion, cucumbers, and avacado in a creamy ginger or garlic and sesame oil dressing.


 
Yeah, those ginger salads are great.

I also like the bigazz salad they serve at Olive Garden.  I could eat just that.


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## LadyCook61

It depends what kind of salad it is.   Regular salad , of lettuce, sweet onions, red cabbage, carrots, with eevo and vinegar as a side dish.  If making pasta, I would have lettuce, black olives, evoo , vinegar and cubes of mozzarella on the side.


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## GotGarlic

Jeekinz said:


> Yeah, those ginger salads are great.
> 
> I also like the bigazz salad they serve at Olive Garden.  I could eat just that.



Me too - with the garlic breadsticks and some marinara sauce for dipping, I'm all set


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## karenlyn

I love lunch salads made with canned tuna (packed in oil has more flavor), cherry tomatoes, hard boiled egg, and maybe garbanzos or some cheese.  Mmm.  That's one of my favorite "Spanish" things I've picked up since living here-- canned tuna doesn't always need to be smothered in mayo, and it's great on salads. 

Now I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.


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## Jeekinz

I made a romaine, green apple, green grape, green pepper, radish, pine nuts, scallion with creamy Italian dressing last night.


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## PJP

Try green grapes with sesame dressing.  I think you can find that recipe in my link below (under Asian Fusion on my menu).  I've only used mandarins for Asian salads but now I use green grapes.


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## PanchoHambre

Caine said:


> At a salad bar, anything and everthing that will fit into and/or on top of the bowl they give me without falling on the floor, especially stuff that won't keep long in the refrigerator at home.



LOL I love me a "salad" bar. Somhow at the ones that charge by the lb I always end up with the most expensive salad of the bunch 

At home my basic salad is generally romaine with thinly sliced red onions, shaved carrots and tomato slices with a tangy balasamic dressing.

But when more ambitious I like to add shaved cheese toasted nuts and fruit to salads. One of my favorites invloved manchego and rasberry


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## In the Kitchen

Could any of you eat a salad everyday for lunch?  I have been making salads for lunch more than 10 years, not much else goes along just  greens, tomatoes, red peppers, baby cucumbers, dressing, chinese noodles, that is most of the time.  I am so burned out on fixing everyday except weekend that I can't bring myself to even eat one myself.  Don't you think someone would get tired of this everyday?  Only thing I make sure I have to go to store every weekend to get the greens.  I am just curious how they can have same thing for so long!  Kind of boring to me, but they claim they don't want heavy lunch. How do you feel about eating same thing everyday.  Yogurt even gets old to me.   Am I spoiled?  Thanks for your input.  This has been bothering me for some time and like always afraid someone will think my family strange.


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## bethzaring

the best idea I ever came up with is this; after I fry up some bacon and pour off the grease to lovingly save in the frig, I toss in some sunflower seeds into the frying pan to saute a bit. You end up with the nutrition of the sunflower seeds that tastes like bacon


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## GotGarlic

I have a friend who makes salad from deconstructed spring roll ingredients - lettuce topped with rice noodles, shredded chicken, carrots, cucumbers and mint, with sesame-ginger dressing. I'm going to do the same thing, but I like basil better than mint 

Has anyone else made Rachael Ray's grilled romaine salad? We love it! We usually make it with grilled tuna (rare) and Parmesan cheese. DH puts bleu cheese dressing on his, I put Italian on mine. Delish!


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## PeterAtwood

I'm really into making salads lately. My favorites ingredients are a bed of high quality greens topped with chopped cuke, red or orange pepper slices, sprinkle of chopped carrot, handful of lightly crushed walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, dash of toasted sesame seeds, a few craisins. Dressed with some of my wife's killer homemade sesame ginger dressing. Yum!


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## luvs

usually walnuts or pecans, fruit, & spray-on italian dressingor oliveoil & balsamic vinegar. plus bleu cheese.


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## babetoo

Caine said:


> At home, lettuce, dressing, cheese, and croutons. Sometimes some chiffonaded ham or turkey cold cuts.
> 
> At a salad bar, anything and everthing that will fit into and/or on top of the bowl they give me without falling on the floor, especially stuff that won't keep long in the refrigerator at home.


 

same here. cooking for one, limits what i keep on hand. can't really freeze the indg. love salad bars.

babe


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## babetoo

Jeekinz said:


> Yeah, those ginger salads are great.
> 
> I also like the bigazz salad they serve at Olive Garden. I could eat just that.


 

i love this one too.

babe


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## Aria

*Salads are Super*

All the salads listed in thread....SUPER.    Always have romaine greens, arugula and then lots of other veggies.

Dressing:  I use the cruet.  Red wine vinegar, balsamic, and EVOO...add
1/2 pkg of the Italian Seven Seas spices.  Shake and leave at room temp.

I never add croutons.


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## Aria

*Don't know the graphics*

Under my name section....there are three graphics.  I have been away from the forums for a while.

What are they?  They must have a meaning?  Curious Aria


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## faye_arv

pdswife said:


> I love a good Greek salad.. tomatoes, cukes, onions, red peppers
> with a olive oil and vinegar, salt,pepper and oregano dressing.
> A little feta doesn't hurt.



Sorry, what are cukes?...I looked it up, they are cucumbers, right?


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## babetoo

faye_arv said:


> Sorry, what are cukes?...I looked it up, they are cucumbers, right?


 
i am not a fan of feta cheese, in fact i hate it. what is a good substitute  in greek salad.

babe


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## luvs

hmmmm, maybe gorgonzola, babe.


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## SizzlininIN

I don't go as crazy here at home but if I'm at a salad bar I go nuts. Along with the salad blend I add spinach if they have that and some of each of the veggies, olives, cheese, croutons, sesame seeds and usually french dressing. 

I do like greek salads very much though and if the resturant has that then I'll order it instead.


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## quicksilver

faye_arv said:


> Sorry, what are cukes?...I looked it up, they are cucumbers, right?


 
Sorry Faye, no one's got back til now. Yes, cukes are cucumbers.

I like all the above, and just cukes with mayo whipped in with red wine vinegar, oil salt & pepper, but it has to sit overnight, and have italian bread for mopping.


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## LadyCook61

babetoo said:


> i am not a fan of feta cheese, in fact i hate it. what is a good substitute in greek salad.
> 
> babe


 
how about some kind of mexican cheese ?  I know it would not be greek salad then.


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## faye_arv

Feta cheese isn't a must in Greek salad, it's an extra.  Feta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you do want to add some kind of cheese, though, I would add kefalotyri or kefalograviera, see links: Kefalotyri cheese - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kefalograviera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kefalograviera - Greek Cheeses - Buying and Cooking Guide

the last link tells you which cheeses you can substitute for kefalograviera.  Both cheeses are similar in taste and texture.  Kefalotyri is mostly used on spaghetti. 

You could also try anthotyro which is similar to feta but doesn't have any salt.  It's texture is a bit different too.  See below link: Anthotyros cheese - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## AinsleyKath

redkitty said:


> Ok Jeekinz, here's one combo to start, I'll be back with more!!
> 
> Dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese and candied pecans* tossed with mixed greens and oil & vinegar, salt & pepper to taste.
> 
> ** Candied Pecans
> 
> *4 ounces pecans
> 2 tbs sugar
> 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
> 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted
> 1 egg white, lightly beaten
> 
> In a large bowl, toss pecans with sugar, cayenne, melted butter and egg white; place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 300F oven for 20 minutes.



hope "Dried cranberries" is a very good recipe, will try it for sure today.

thanks for sharing it here...


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