Salad Savvy: Pea Prosciutto Salad

I saw this in Bon Appetit a few months ago and bookmarked it for a later date.  Last week, I finally had the privilege and guys... So. Damn. Good.  I rarely crave a green salad unless it has a ton of stuff in it (nuts, seeds, fruit, cheese, crunchies...the works!).  As a result, I find that unusual salads really appeal to me, perhaps for creative mix of flavors, textures, and ingredients.  This pea, snap pea, prosciutto, and arugula salad was in a word - delightful!  Salty prosciutto, sweet peas and snap peas, bitter arugula, tangy mustard, and sour lemon juice, it may seem like a strange blend of ingredients, but it just works!

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Salad Savvy: Mustard Chicken Salad

Truth.  I don't love broccoli. Never have, despite my efforts to force myself to like the nutrient packed green veggie.  However, as I was pureeing broccoli with a bit of potato yesterday for my daughter's lunch, I thought…hmm, I better find some recipes that incorporate broccoli quick so I don't influence a distaste for broccoli in her as well.  Low and behold, Ina Garten to the rescue!  During R's nap time, Miss Ina whipped up mustard chicken salad (which according to the narrative in the show, was a staple in her former Hamptons shop, Barefoot Contessa).  The ingredients are few, and most you probably have in your fridge as I did after a quick Trader Joe's run, with the exception of whole grain mustard, because who has that? 

While I'm not a huge mayo-in-salad fan, this salad feels less mayo-y than others, given the flavors of the mustard and white wine in the dressing.  I wish I'd taken a picture to demonstrate that it wasn't smothered in mayo, but this online shot will have to do.  

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Salad Savvy: Peach and Roasted Vegetable Salad

Thanks Ashlee for this recipe hook up!  I made this recipe as a side to accompany this equally delicious entree for a few friends that came over for dinner last week.  I opted for quinoa as my grain of choice, but I could see this salad holding up a few more days with cous cous or farro or a sturdier grain.  The peach adds a sweet, summery kick that was delectable!

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Salad Savvy: Fig, Feta, and Mint Salad

With her latest favorite food is feta cheese - naturally I had to use the extra abundance of feta on hand for a salad for mom too.  Enter my new favorite foodie blog, French Foodie Baby, which conveniently had a simple, bright spring salad - Fig, Feta, and Mint salad.  In a word - refreshing!  The kick of the feta really complements the sweetness of the figs and the mint adds that pop of lovely color and freshness for spring.  Will definitely be making this again!

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Salad Savvy

Yesterday I made "Frankies-Esque Beet Salad" from Gwenyth Paltrow's, It's All Good cookbook for lunch.  Apparently this recipe earned its name because it's based on one of her favorite beet salads, served at a NYC restaurant, Frankie's in the West Village.  This recipe has few ingredients, making for easy prep, in addition to being refreshing and delicious.  The avocado adds a creamy element that with the dressing really compliments the beets. 

Frankies-Esque Beet Salad

Serves 4.  Vegan.

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons white white vinegar

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound steamed or roasted beets, peeled and roughly diced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

3 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced.

Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and olive oil in a large bowl and season to taste ith salt and pepper.  Add the beets to the dressing and gently stir to combine.  Transfer the beets to a serving platter and scatter the avocado and scallions over the top.

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Salad Savvy: Massaged Kale Salad

I admit, I was initially reluctant to jump on the raw kale bandwagon, but once I did, I haven't looked back!  I was introduced to this salad by my friend Baillie, who served this salad at a recent dinner party.  My husband (always a bit skeptical of kale) ate every bite, it was insanely good!  We also had a good chuckle over the name of the dish, massaged kale salad.  It's not everyday you think about massaging salad, but you literally massage the dressing to soften the tough kale leaves.

The dressing is sooo ridiculously easy, it's almost comical.  I actually had to double back and reread the recipe going, "wait a minute...did I forget an ingredient?!"  Nope.  Honey + lemon juice + olive oil.  That's all, easy peasy.  The tart of lemon balanced with the sweetness of mango made for gustatory perfection, I truly forgot I was eating kale.  The recipe calls for pepitas, which I didn't have on hand, but I tossed a handful of blueberries instead, and it tasted just fine.

Other tried & true kale recipes

+ kale caesar

+ kale chips

+ kale pizza

+ roasted chicken with potatoes and kale

Salad Savvy

My new favorite salad recipe, hands down!

Holy moly, I'm excited to make this again!!  Don't you love it when you find a recipe that is just superbly awesome that you know FOR SURE you will commit to memory and DEFINITELY make again?

This is THAT recipe my friends (grab a pen...I'll wait...)

Okay, ready?  Golden Corn Salad with Fresh Basil, I made a few slight alterations.  First - I didn't have any fresh basil (no worries, you don't need it).  Second - I subbed in sliced fresh mozzarella for goat cheese - a worthy substitution in my opinion since there was already plenty of flavor in the salad.

Can't for summer picnics, potlucks, and parties.  Put me down for greens, 'cause I'm bringing salad!

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Need a Little Green in My Life

Inspired by Bridget's post, I've decided I need more salad in my life.  Growing up, my dad NEVER ate salad.  He always claimed "I don't like the taste of lettuce," hence his salad plate was always filled with a heaping portion of broccoli, carrots, or some other miscellaneous vegetable while our salad plates were piled high.

My mom on the other hand, makes the BEST salads.  Ridiculously, memorably good.  They're always packed with ingredients; avocados, tomatoes, jicama, pomegranate seeds, nuts - you name it!  So I think after this mixed salad upbringing - I fall somewhere in the middle.  Not nearly as skilled as making delicious salads as my mom, but not quite as into salad, courtesy of my dad.

Come dinner time, I usually reach for the broccoli or asparagus as a salad substitute, but really, I just need to bring salads back.  Give me some ideas, friends.  What salads to you make for meals?  To preface meals?  

What fancy / unique / unusual / ordinary but exciting ingredients do you throw in the mix to spice up your good old greens? 

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Salad Savvy: Flank Steak with Plums and Bleu Cheese

My sweetie made dinner last night for us - flank steak salad with plums and bleu cheese, with breadsticks on the side. It was delicious! Enough said.

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Salad Savvy: Kale Caesar

I jumped on the kale caesar bandwagon, courtesy of this adapted recipe via Simply Scrumptious - another fab food blog! Now I'm not gonna lie, I was a little skeptical of the raw kale salad.. I'm a huge fan of kale chips / cooked kale, but my experiences with raw kale have been minimal and not exactly what you'd call *wow-factor.*

However, that has all changed, because the kale caesar salad was awesome! No...seriously! And believe me, I would tell you if it wasn't. The salad was definitely jazzed up by adding fresh croutons to the mix, but it was quite good, fiance and I ate the entire batch I prepared. One recommendation, which is echoed in the recipe I used, I'd recommend making the dressing first, and toss the kale in the dressing. This will help this tougher green soak up some caesary goodness, which softens the leaves just enough.

image via simplyscrumptious

Salad Savvy: Mango & Black Bean Quinoa Salad

After a few days of heavy eating, I was feeling in dire need of a healthy salad. I came across this recipe on Closet Cooking (one of my fave food blogs) and it was just the ticket, mango and black bean quinoa salad. The recipe was quick to make, and most of the ingredients you probably have on hand, except mango in my case. After I returned from the store, I then realized I only had red quinoa on hand, but luckily it substituted well, and tasted just as good. Personally, I think the red quinoa actually made the salad a bit more colorful, don't you think?

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Salad Savvy: Green Goddess

I was feeling like a green goddess yesterday and decided to whip up a green goddess salad, having heard some buzz about this salad du jour from various blogs. When I went to google the recipe, imagine my surprise that there are a bazillion variations.

Ultimately, I went with ever dependable Ina Garten's recipe, which features basil, scallions, garlic, and lemon juice. I added a little parsley for good measure since I had plenty of it. This salad dressing is so fresh and flavorful, I don't know why I waited so long to try it!

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Salad Savvy: Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries

I've had my eye on this recipe for a while now, but I always eat all the blueberries I buy at the store before I can get around to making it! So last night, I finally made the Pioneer Woman's Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries. It was a welcome twist on the traditional chicken salad, I definitely enjoyed the corn, feta, and blueberry additions. Perfect for a summer picnic, hoping I get the opportunity to make it again for friends!

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Salad Savvy: Mecca Azteca Salad

This is my sister's favorite quinoa recipe. I made this Mecca Azteca salad the other night, and it was light and healthy. There is a variety of textures going on in this salad; quinoa, jicama, avocado, currants, and mango, and the lime-mango vinaigrette was very refreshing and delicious. Yum!

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Dinner Last Night

Last night, my fiance and I made dinner together. He took care of the blue cheese jalapeno burgers while I whipped up an arugula, pear, and walnut salad. It made for a delicious little feast. And to top if off our awesome dinner, we indulged in some hot cocoa ice cream that caught my eye at the grocery store...great way to end the night.

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Salad Savvy: BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

This recipe, while not the healthiest of salads, was quite good. BLT Salad with Buttermilk dressing a la Martha Stewart. The crunch of bacon, the fresh croutons that soak up the creamy dressing, and to make a good salad even better, I added avocado which made it that much more hearty and delicious. Maybe this salad kick isn't so bad after all...

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Salad Savvy: Roasted Portobello Mushroom and Blue Cheese Salad

In an effort to eat "greener," literally, one of my goals for 2011 is to eat more salads. I'm a carbs girl at heart; I gravitate toward pasta, potatoes, and bread over salads any day. The exception of course being when I'm at home and my mom makes her signature salad, which are always brimming with good stuff, pomegranate seeds, almonds, apples, and beyond.

So I'm going to start a new recurring post, entitled "Salad Savvy." For the days I take the time to make myself a healthy, gourmet lunch. Yesterday's lunch was straight from my new Martha Stewart Everyday cookbook, Roasted-Portobello Mushroom and Blue Cheese Salad. YUM!

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Salad Savvy: Arugula, Beet, and Goat Cheese Salad

I heart avocados. It's ironic because I despised them as a child, which of course was when my family lived in Southern California and had an enormous avocado tree growing in our backyard.

I was thrilled to discover this recipe to use up the remaining avocados in my pantry. Arugula, Beet, and Goat Cheese salad with fresh avocado, ala my fave Food Network gal, Giada DiLaurentiis. It was delicious and nutritious! Of course, my bf isn't a big fan of beets, but I keep reminding him they are chock full of vitamins and very good for you!

Word to the wise: the arugula doesn't hold up well if you're planning on taking this for lunch the next day. If you have leftovers, my advice is: pack up the beets, avocados, and goat cheese mixture and spread over fresh arugula the following day.

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