Salad - What is your favorite pizazz-adding ingredient?

[TBA]

Eating more salad - basic greens, cukes, spring onions, tomatoes, bell pepper, etc.

Getting a bit old. What do you use to jazz it up? (Preferably non-meat)

Also, I want to try homemade dressing. Something creamy. Any good ideas?

[trud]

1. dried cranberries, unsalted peanuts. n/t

[yellerpup]

2. Avocado, artichoke

Toasted nuts like almonds, pecans, pepitas. Grated beets or carrot, fiddle head fern (seasonal), chickpeas or any type of bean you like. I also add blanched veggies such a green beans or asparagus.

I can't have cheese or milk products any more, but I used to make a salad dressing by crushing a clove of garlic in the bottom of a bowl, adding a teaspoon or so of basalmic vinegar (any vinegar that you like will do), mixing mayo with either plain yogurt or sour cream then crumbling a chunk of blue cheese into it. My favorite homemade dressing is a vinaigrette: 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, 1-2 tsp. tarragon leaves, juice of 1/4 lemon, 1/2 tsp. salt, black pepper to taste, 1-2 tbsp. water, 1/4-1/3 C. olive oil.

I commend you on getting started with homemade dressing. They are so easy and much better for you than commercial mixes or bottled dressings. Experiment with the flavors you like and you'll soon have your own signature dressing!

Edit to add: blue cheese!

[Lucinda]

3. Here is a link to a copycat recipe of a seasoning I use

called Salad Supreme. This is much better - no preservatives, and perks up any salad.

http://www.food.com/recipeprint.do?rid=24917

I never use dressing when I use this.

Main recipe link...the reviews give some good tips:
http://www.food.com/recipe/salad-supreme-seasoning-24917

[cbayer]

4. Fresh fruits and nuts here.

And cheese..... love cheese

[trud]

8. yes, banana slices. n/t

[The empressof all]

5. Have you tried changing textures

I use my chopper to chop cukes, tomatoes, and onions. I salt them and let them sit on the counter for a few hours to meld together. Like a thick salsa. Then I add it to finely shredded or even chopped Romaine lettuce. I also always usually keep some roasted garbanzo beans on hand (Drain a can of garbanzos...I dry them off a bit with a towel. I use my mister and give it a spritz with EVOO and give a sprinkle of salt and sometimes Greek spice...Then Roast at 325 in the convection oven till they are toasty and have a bit of a crunch)

Anyway..I throw it all together in a big bowl with some diced black olives. I use Greek olives for richness. You can also add feta cheese

I like Trader Joes fat free Balsamic Dressing but you can use any thing you like with this.


Sometimes the same old ingredients just taste different if you change the prep just a little. I find the time spent melding the "wets" together for a bit and shredding or dicing the lettuce gives this salad a different mouth feel and makes the flavors far more pronounced.

[grasswire]

6. a handful of chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley...

...and a bit of parmesan shaved with a potato peeler.

And a big grind of pepper!


Another good combination is blue cheese crumbles, fresh pear, and chopped toasted walnuts with a vinaigrette.

[grasswire]

7. a grated carrot and some finely sliced red cabbage...

...add both a nutrition boost and lots of color. Finely diced red onion is a good flavor kick, too.

[GoCubsGo]

9. Sliced black olives, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, steamed (cold) broccoli

Actually, cold, cooked broccoli makes a great salad base in and of itself. I love it with Asian-style toasted sesame dressing, or with a dressing made of lemon juice, olive oil and minced garlic. The lemon dressing is really good on cold asparagus, too.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. Shaved fennel

So thin you can see through it.

[canetoad]

11. In no order or preference

Pears, pecans, fetta cheese.

[beac]

12. Some of my favorites:

Toasted pumpkin seeds (buy them raw and toast as needed in toaster oven)
Toasted seasame seeds (same as above)
Broccoli slaw (nice crunch and color)
Crumbled Gorgonzola
Strawberries (great w/a balsamic dressing)
Another vote for thin-sliced fennel!

Also, whenever I make red skin or fingerling potatoes as a side dish, I make extra and add them to the next night's entree salad.

[Warpy]

13. Fake bacon and paper thin red onion slices

will explode the flavor of any tired tossed salad.

I know purists insist on real bacon but the fake stuff works just as well.

[Sentath]

14. IF you get the good ones..

the fake bacon is crisper than real could ever be. You just have to make sure the salad fixins are very dry and work quickly once the fackon(?) bits are in contact with dressing.

[Warpy]

16. Fakon is the last thing that goes on the top

and I let people serve themselves out of a small dish with a small spoon.

[kestrel91316]

21. REAL bacon. Hey, thanks for reminding me. I'm due for my annual pound.

[mtnester]

15. I agree about the dried cranberries - and sometoasted walnuts or pecans

are always good. Pine nuts too.

I have a super weakness for Paula Deen's Walnut Blackberry dressing with some peppery greens, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts and a little sprinkle of white cheese of any kind or some egg

[grasswire]

20. does her dressing have butter in it?

Just askin'

[mtnester]

23. Frankly, I am afraid to look

:p

[Glassunion]

17. Ground pistachios.

[kestrel91316]

18. Avocado, roasted sunflower seeds, marinated artichoke hearts,

boiled potato, steamed broccoli, pickled beets, garbanzo beans, black olives.

Probably not all at the same time. But I like cooked veggies in my salad almost as much as raw.

[pinto]

19. Tangerine wedges. Avocado. Grated cabbage. Pistachios. Grated hard, sharp cheese.

Black olives. Grated horseradish. Fennel. :hi:

[randr]

22. Nasturtium flowers

Spicy and nutritious. Also pine nuts add something special.

[Retrograde]

24. Meat. Seriously.

Not a lot - two or three thin slices of rare beef add a lot to a dinner salad (i.e., a salad that's intended to be dinner). Marinate it in rice wine vinegar, maybe with some ginger and/or chile pepper. It's common in some Asian cuisines.

Otherwise, a good salad dressing makes a big difference. I keep an assortment of vinegars, and use the "good" olive oil, along with various herbs. Crunchy veggies are also good - since my radishes went to seed I've been using the pods in salads.

One trick I saw in Italy that I've been using ever since is a scant pinch of salt added to the salad just before serving: since I don't use salt otherwise, it really spikes the taste buds.