Favorite Salads and Combinations (carrots, sugar, fennel, mustard)

[jade408]

Now that the weather is warming up, I like to eat more salad.

What are your favorite salads/combinations.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Arugula + citrus fruits + avocado with a classic vinaigrette
I really like a sliced orange or grapefruit in a salad. This combo is a good mix of sweet, tart, creamy, and bitter.

2. Fennel, oranges, and olives with mixed greens with a citrusy vinagrette: crunchy, salty, sweet, tart all in one.

3. Butter lettuce, avocado, apple, jicama, cucumber, mint, parsley. Dressing: salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil: this is super refreshing.

4. ripe summer tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, mint, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil

5. zucchini carpaccio: I've done loads of variations on this: Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome: zucchini carpaccio
replace basil with mint, arugula, parsley or tarragon. Swap the cheese for dry jack, piave or feta.

Share your fave combinations. Do you up your salad intake in spring and summer when the fresh veggies are tastier?

[Dirt Grinder]

Insalata Caprese is our favorite. We make our own mozzarella now so it's even more of a treat.
Mozzarella, garden tomato, fresh basil, olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper.

[fibonacci]

Arugula + strawberries + walnuts + a small amount of fresh mozzarella with some balsamic glaze served chilled is good.

Romaine + spinach + tomatoes + shredded carrots + beets + micro greens with just some simple salt, pepper, and olive oil is good enough for me.

[kaimuki]

1. Romaine lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onions and feta cheese with a tangy Greek vinaigrette.

2. Spinach, almond slivers, dried cranberries and Maui onion. Any vinaigrette with do, but I like this salad with a chunky bleu cheese dressing.

[Dirt Grinder]

For those of you lucky enough to have room for a garden - try squash blossoms stuffed with avocado salad this summer. There are infinite ways to make the avocado salad (avocado, tomato, cucumber, basil, cilantro, etc.). Just make the salad and stuff it into a cleaned squash blossom, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and you have a great summer afternoon treat.

[DontH8Me]

All time fave go-to spring mix salad, topped with roasted hazelnuts, crumbled bleu cheese, candied walnuts or pecans, julienned pickled beets, dried cranberries, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Next on the list would be Claim Jumper's California Citrus Salad - chopped lettuce, green apples, candied pecans, dried cranberries, bleu cheese, golden raisins, chopped avocado, mandarin orange segments dressed with their signature citrus dressing.

Sometimes a simple wedge salad with ranch dressing, crumbled bacon and bleu cheese, and a sprinkling of chopped Campari tomatoes hits the spot too.

[sirron]

The thing I like to do is lightly saute my onion, carrot, pepper and snow peas before adding to the rest of the salad. I love the contrast of the icy-crisp lettuce (sometimes spinach) with the warmed veggies. I also like to make my own dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and brown mustard. Toast up some pita triangles and I'm good!

[jade408]

I forgot one of my fall faves! This is basically my party fave from the pantry and freezer:
mixed greens + dried cherries or cranberries + pomegranate seeds (avail frozen) + walnuts + balsamic vinaigrette (homemade or trader joes brand) and if you are so inclined: blue cheese, goat cheese or feta are all tasty.

[gentlearts]

So much depends upon getting a decent tomato, but overall....

Caesar Salad, the way we make it with crispy/soft buttery croutons.
Wedge Salad, with bleu cheese and bacon
Spring greens with sugared pecans, berries (fresh or dried) with Poppyseed dressing
Fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil salad

Aside: I love cucumbers in place of lettuce in a sandwich

[lubby]

Baby mixed greens+raspberry vinagrette+ candied walnuts+goat cheese and sliced pears
Romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, shaved parm and homemade croutons
Spinach, bacon, cheddar and hard boiled egg with honey mustard dressing
Mixed green salad with sliced radishes, shredded carrots, shredded white cheddar, sunflower seeds, dill and red wine vinegrette dressing