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Some Simple Salad Ideas

For quick, no-fuss week-night salads try some of the ideas below.  If you scroll down, you'll also find some easy dressings.

 

  • Put a few lettuce leaves on each plate, slice some tomatoes, put them on top of the lettuce, and sprinkle  some dried or fresh basil on top of the tomatoes.  Drizzle each serving with a bit of balsamic vinegar.

 

  • Toss some lettuce in a bowl with whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand—carrots, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, celery, radishes, broccoli pieces, etc.—and serve with one of the dressings below.

 

  • Wash and cut a head of lettuce into wedges.  Serve a wedge on each plate, garnished with some cherry tomatoes or whatever other salad vegetables you have on hand (some radishes? little carrots?).  Drizzle a creamy or Thousand Island dressing over the wedges.

 

  • Wash some spinach leaves and put some on each plate. Drain a small can of beets and put the beets on top of the spinach.  Drizzle on some vinaigrette and sprinkle the salads with a bit of blue or feta cheese.

 

  • Toss romaine lettuce with some shredded Parmesan cheese, halved cherry tomatoes and a simple vinaigrette (see below). Toss on some croutons.

 

  • Put a few baby lettuce leaves on each plate, slice a mango and top the lettuce with the mango slices. Drizzle on some lime vinaigrette (see below).

 

  • Put some washed spinach leaves on each plate.  Wash, hull, and slice some fresh strawberries and top the spinach with them.  Drizzle on some lemon or sweet vinaigrette (see below).

 

  • Put some washed arugula on each plate.  Slice an apple and put the slices on top of the arugula.  Drizzle on some lemon or sweet vinaigrette.  Sprinkle on some chopped walnuts.

simple salad
Mixed Salad
Spinach
Salad with Parmesan
Arugula salad
Dressings

Thousand Island Dressing

¼ cup of fat-free Greek yogurt

1 cup of light mayonnaise

½ cup of ketchup

3 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

 

Mix all the ingredients above and refrigerate the dressing.

Lemon or Lime Vinaigrette

Zest of 1 lemon or 1 lime

3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice

3 tablespoons of water

2 tablespoons of olive oil

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

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Whisk all the ingredients together.  Refrigerate the dressing.  Shake it well before adding it to salads.

Simple Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoons of water

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of grainy Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon of lemon-pepper

 

Whisk all the ingredients together.  Refrigerate the vinaigrette.

Sweet Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of water

2 tablespoons of apricot, peach, or raspberry preserves

¼ teaspoon of lemon-pepper

 

Whisk all the ingredients together.  Refrigerate the vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of water

1 tablespoon of olive oil

½ teaspoon of grainy mustard

¼ teaspoon of pepper

 

Whisk all the ingredients together.  Refrigerate the vinaigrette.

Creamy Dressing

¼ cup of light mayonnaise

¼ cup of fat-free yogurt

1 tablespoon of dried chives

2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese

 

Combine all the ingredients well.  Refrigerate the dressing.

'

Blue Cheese Dressing

¼ cup of light mayonnaise

¼ cup of fat-free yogurt

2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese

¼ teaspoon of pepper

 

Combine all the ingredients well.  Refrigerate the dressing.

Salad dressing
lemon vinaigrette
simple vinaigrette
Balsamic Vinaigrette
creamy salad dressing
blue cheese
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