Friday, July 23, 2010

salad days

I'm in need of some inspiration!

We're getting to the depths of summer here in muggy MN, and I need some ideas. Dan and I have been enjoying meal-sized salads for months now, but our favorites, (Greek, beet & goat cheese, and veg nicoise,) are starting to feel . . . "old."

What are your favorite salad combinations? I'm thinking I might try an Asian-inspired salad with some napa cabbage, veggies, and fried tofu, (with maybe a peanutty dressing?), but otherwise, I'm coming up short.

Happy Friday, everyone!

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UPDATE:

Here are some of your great ideas so far:
grain-based salads
taco salad (I can't BELIEVE I forgot about this one!)
slaws of all kinds
chickpeas, roasted red peppers, fennel, and onions over arugula with a balsamic dressing
pear/walnut/blue cheese/arugula (again, can't believe I forgot! Yum!)
fruit salad w/yogurt dressing

Keep the ideas coming! Love it!

7 comments:

Emily said...

I'm doing an Asian style salad this week! (I'll probably make mine with chicken, but tofu would be a great sub) Also, I'm not sure if you do fish at all, I've been having greens, cuke, fresh dill, smoked salmon and this Annies Lemon & Chive dressing. It is lovely. :)

Ali said...

I recommend grain-based salads! Cook up some wheatberries, oat groats, quinoa, or rice as your base to shake things up!

Also - I love any kind of slaw using shredded cabbages or broccoli (or even mango or papaya) as an alternative to traditional lettuce salads.

Finally, right now I'm loving the salad from Chipotle that you can make easily at home with romaine or other greens, fajita-style veggies, beans, avocado, tomato, and a chili-lime vinaigrette. YUM.

Vic Robinson said...

I actually made a really nice southwest salad a while back. It turned out really well. http://haymarket8.blogspot.com/search/label/southwest%20salad

Anonymous said...

Taco Salads!!

Chickpea salad with roasted red peppers, fennel, balsamic vinegar, garlic arugula and onions..

Spiralize Daikon and use it for a raw noodle base for your peanut dressing...

Anonymous said...

Taco Salad

Fennel, chickpeas, roasted red peppers and a garlic balsamic dressing

Fruit salad with yogurt dressing

Pear, Walnut, Blue Cheese, Arugula

Anonymous said...

Taco salads are great and one of my faves. But another yummy one is finely shredded cabbage, tons and tons of cilantro, cucumber, jicama, bell peppers, grated raw zucchini, and whatever other veggies you have on hand, and a nice lemon/lime juice with apple cider vinegar mixture for dressing. SO fresh and good! Also, black bean, corn, tomato, and whatever fresh herbs you have around is always a hit too :-)

Courtney

Lauren said...

Salad combos from my dietitian sister-in-law, whom I hit up for ideas back in spring! {Some of these are more fall/winter salads, but they're ideas nonetheless.}

-- Dried cranberries, clementine slices, walnuts, feta cheese
-- Mango slices, pomegranate seeds, sliced almonds, green onions
-- Fresh pear slices, dates, blue cheese
-- Tomatoes, hard-boiled egg slices, (veggie) bacon, mushrooms, onions
-- Mandarin oranges, pineapple, water chestnuts, tuna (great with poppyseed dressing)